


A Kiss of Dragon's Fire

by adal44t_kb_o



Category: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Consensual Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Gore, Interspecies Sex, Language, Multi, Other, Romance, Rough Sex, Sadism, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-01 23:48:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 101,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2792135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adal44t_kb_o/pseuds/adal44t_kb_o
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Both sides of the war must contend with a powerful new being that appears in the form of an innocent looking girl. How will she fit into this new world, and which side will she finally choose? 200x He-man. OC. Character driven with a significant plot. NSFW, mature content, multiple pairings, DL? DR!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awakened

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this story was my first real attempt at writing fanfiction for the sole purpose of having fun. I had a lot of interesting ideas, but my execution was terrible. Now that I have actually discovered that I do love writing, and may, MAY, pursue it as a career, I am trying to vastly enhance my skillset, which I believe I have done since initially posting this fic on FF.net. Therefore, I am overhauling the entire story in an effort to improve the quality. There will be no changes made to the existing plotline in published chapters 1-16, however there will most likely be material added and excised from every one. 
> 
> 200x He-man. This story is going to follow a character based plot with my OC playing a major role. I do multiple third-person POV’s.

Snake Mountain, aptly named for the giant snake carved into the active volcano, which spit a constant stream of lava out of its mouth into the molten river below. It was far from being a magnificent palace such as the one in Eternos, the royal city of the planet Eternia, but its walls were secure and the only home that its inhabitants had ever known. It was dark and dank, constantly warm and humid, but it was enormous and the entire lower level of reinforced steel cells could easily house the army of creatures that Beastman kept in its depths for the sole purpose of furthering the aspirations of the one who ruled here, Skeletor. Just thinking of the hairy warrior brought his putrid odor to the forefront of the sorcerer’s mind. The scent hung in the air throughout the confines of the mountain, ever present at the periphery of one’s sense of smell, and liable to creep back into blatant awareness at the slightest thought or mention of it. _I should make Tri-klops build something to rid me of the problem once and for all._

The disgruntled mage sat upon his primordial throne wondering why he was always defeated by the accursed Masters, Eternos’ law-enforcers and the protectors of Eternia. He was by far the most powerful being in all of the world besides that wretched He-man, but that idiot could only master him in brute force. He had his Evil Warriors, who were legendary in their battle skills, and some were even known for their intelligence and cunning as well. He had magic on his side, which the Masters were severely lacking, and although inferior to Man-at-Arms’, most of Tri-klops’ inventions served him well enough. _So what is it then?_ "Argh!" Skeletor exclaimed as he shot a ball of energy haphazardly into the room from his Havoc Staff, an unparalleled magical staff shaped as that of the skull of a ram. The burst collided with the wall, charring the already dark surface and then dispersed with a flash.

"You know, Skeletor, the wall has done nothing to deserve such punishment," Evil-lyn chided as she swayed into the throne room. The damn witch was the only one of his minions who would intentionally try his patience. He looked her over, appreciating the regal manner in which she carried herself. Her face was strong but still soft enough to be feminine, and her voice sultry. Her body was athletic and framed in all the right places by the purple and white battle garment she wore. As if all that wasn’t enough, her skin had a creamy, white complexion that gave the woman an overall exotic feel. The violet eyes she possessed were by far her most alluring feature. They revealed her every emotion when she wished and closed down to be utterly empty when she didn’t.

"I am in no mood for your games today, dear Evil-lyn. I am planning my next attack on Castle Greyskull!" exclaimed Skeletor. That was bullshit and Evil-lyn knew it. He had been slumped on his throne brooding for a week about his failure to claim the legacy stones.He-man and Man-at-Arms hadconfronted him on the island of Anwat Gar and foiled his attempt to steal them. Not only had he lost the stones, which gave the holder indestructible armor, but the Masters had gained a new ally in Sy-klone, The Wind Master. He was the last remaining survivor of a long forgotten race, The Gars, and had been living alone on the island for thousands of years in order to protect the stones from falling into evil hands.   

"Well then, I will forget this information I have uncovered about a powerful artifact since you are SO busy planning this glorious attack on Castle Greyskull," said Evil-lyn goading him again. The magician liked to push her luck with the Lord of Snake Mountain. It was a game she had always enjoyed playing, but now that they were no longer intimate it was even more amusing. Before, Skeletor could at least get back at her in a way by punishing her in the bedroom, although Evil-lyn had never left wanting.

The only reason such a free spirit as Evil-lyn had allowed herself to follow under Skeletor’s rule to begin with was because of his allure while he was still Keldor. He had been more traditionally handsome then with long black hair, flesh to his face, piercing eyes, and an arrogant smirk. The desire between them had been instant, but the days of their relationship were long gone even if her feelings for him hadn’t entirely faded away. Her mind had to hold those feelings at bay because even though she had her reasons for ending it all, her body stirred even more fiercely at his presumptuous personality and now feral appearance.

The sorcerer was tall, with a long, defined torso, and a well-muscled chest that still left his overall frame with the appearance of being lean instead of overly bulky. Like the most graceful of felines, his movements were fluid and boasted a confidence that was unrivaled. His skin was a uniform, light blue that was further enhanced by the complimentary dark blue and purple battle gear he wore. His outfit was finished with a cape and hood that he almost never let down because of his now fleshless skull. During the transformation from Keldor to Skeletor his hands and feet had also become more claw-like, which only added to the overall menacing vibe one received just by glimpsing him.

"I doubt this artifact is what I need but I shall entertain your information nonetheless," said Skeletor waving his hand for her to continue while trying to appear mostly disinterested and failing.

Smirking, as she knew she had already won this little battle of wills and words, Evil-lyn gave up the information without further provocation. “I have uncovered a text that speaks of an ancient stone possessing great magical abilities. It says the original burial place for this stone was an underwater cave in what I believe is the southern quadrant of the Sea of Rakash. The cave is said to be marked with some identifying symbols; unfortunately, there is not an exact location given nor does it say what this stone does or what it even looks like. It is all sort of vague." Evil-lyn threw the last part in just in case this information turned out to be useless because if so, she did not want Skeletor's wrath directed toward her.

The text she had found was intriguing because outwardly it seemed like any other text: exceptionally plain, ravaged by time, and of lowly construction. On the inside, however, it was a masterpiece. The pages were perfectly preserved and made of the finest white paper, which had a shine to it and real gold borders. It was handwritten in a beautiful, flowing script in an ancient language Evil-lyn was not familiar with. All the spells, and she had tried many, to translate it had failed except for a few incomprehensible passages and then luckily, the small section detailing the stone. It was ominous that translation spells would not work and risky to seek such an item without first knowing more information, but without any other ideas between them as of right now, the chance that this stone was some sort of great mystical power was too good to ignore.

"Hmm. Have Merman locate this cave if he can and get me the stone," replied Skeletor. He watched as Evil-lyn bowed her head in deference and backed out of the throne room. As much as she tested his patience, she was one of his most loyal followers and without a doubt the most powerful of his minions. For this reason alone he tolerated her quips and small acts of defiance, but he was not unaware that she was headstrong and ambitious. He was more than certain that she would try to take power for herself given the opportunity.

_If she ever tries… I will make her suffer._

* * *

 

A few days later, Skeletor was pacing in his throne room by the sludgy green wading pool Merman used to enter Snake Mountain. He was not one to get flustered, he merely got angry, and nothing angered him more than being kept waiting. "Where is that idiot Merman? He has been gone for three days and we have not heard a damn thing," Skeletor was raving while his Evil Warriors made their way into the throne room.

Catching his last phrase, Evil-lyn jumped in sarcastically, "You waited two years for the Coridite Crystal; I think three days isn't too long for you to be patient." Evil-lyn was worried that criticism might have taken it too far for his current, precarious emotional state when his eye sockets blazed red, but Merman chose that moment to emerge from the pool with his customary gurgle.

"His arrival is a blessing for you, dear Evil-lyn. Of that you can be sure." He turned in a whirl of his cape, and upon noticing Merman's hands were empty, bellowed, "Where is the stone?!"

The sea-dweller cowered as Skeletor raised his Havoc Staff and shouted quickly, "I think I found the cave, Lord Skeletor, but it requires stronger magic than mine to get through a force-field protecting the entrance."

 _A force-field. Hmm?_ “Fine. You will guide us to the cave and we shall see about this force-field.”Sated for the time being, Skeletor turned to Evil-lyn. "Do prepare a spell for yourself and the others so you may breathe underwater. We are going to do a little swimming."

"Great," muttered Tri-klops and Trap-jaw. Both were thinking how they hated submerging their mechanical attachments, especially in something as corrosive as salt water. They would have to remove everything, dry it off, and oil it or it would never work right. The only other option was to do something they were both loath to do, ask Evil-lyn to use her magic as a shortcut, which could take care of the whole problem instantly, but leave them suffering through her throwing her superiority in their faces. 

A crackling, yellow shot of energy streaked across the throne room and threw them both roughly against the wall at least four feet above the ground. "Only ever worried about yourselves, huh? No matter, you two stay here and clean my throne room." He turned to leave, then paused, and glanced over his shoulder looking pleased with himself. "Oh, and it better be spotless, unless you both want to have an… intimate visit with the lava pools tonight. Best of luck." He walked out of the throne room cackling to himself, just a hint of insanity showing through. Evil-lyn smirked at both of them with a look that clearly stated that she thought they were both morons, and then left with Clawful, Beastman, and Merman.

Tri-klops and Trap-jaw picked themselves up off the floor slowly after the others had left, simultaneously checking for any damage to their bodies as they moved. They looked at each other in knowing and Trap-jaw groaned, "Cleaning duty again?"

"Hey! I was in the middle of a new invention and now I have to waste my time here trying to make rocks look good." Nevertheless, they both started cleaning anything they could find that could possibly make the dreary room look better.

* * *

The cave had been easy enough to find with Merman as a guide, and there was indeed a force-field across the opening. A rather powerful one it seemed just from the pure, blinding white energy it was throwing off. He had come up against plenty of protective shields in his time, but this one had tendrils that shot outward as if to ward off potential trespassers or thieves unlike any he had ever seen. _The stone must still be inside if the field is still up,_ he thought greedily _._

He faintly wondered what was generating the field as a lone force-field was uncommon to stumble upon. _There is either someone inside or the spell was carved into the rock so that it would remain forever._ Either way it was an extreme show of strength to create such a magical barrier and he internally prepared himself for a fight.

The calligraphy carved into the opening was foreign to him and would provide no help in how to disarm the barrier. _We'll just have to use force_. He raised his Havoc Staff and began to funnel energy against the force-field feeling it weaken instantly, but not nearly enough. Evil-lyn followed suit and after a minute of pushing a small hole could be seen. As soon as it was punctured, the energy output dispersed and the visible field shrank back from the penetrance sight into the rocks igniting the symbols. For a brief moment the writing flared bright white and then slowly, the power faded out until everything lay dark and quiet.

From the entrance, there was a long, pitch black tunnel that stretched on seemingly endlessly. There was a current that flowed toward them tirelessly compared to the relatively still water outside the entrance, and the water became more turbulent the farther along they swam. The tunnel finally began to widen the last few meters before opening up into a huge underwater room, and the current unexpectedly cut off. At first there seemed to be nowhere else to go as swimming around revealed perfectly smooth walls with no further tunneling, but a small amount of light playing near the ceiling caught his eye.

The ceiling at the top of the underwater room was in fact not a ceiling at all, but a trick created by the shape of the walls and angle of the above light source. Emerging from the water showed a hidden cavern, which was impressively, even larger than Snake Mountain's throne room.The cavern was lit by dozens of candles floating in the air, and Skeletor could feel a pressure pushing against him as if to make him leave. The walls were carved from a red stone that left it feeling barren except for a large metal box sitting upon a dais. The box itself was made of a lustrous silver and had black symbols engraved into it that resembled those at the cave’s entrance.

He exited the water and walked up to the metal container wary of this entire situation as it didn’t feel right to him somehow. The box was not locked as far as he could tell and didn't seem to be booby trapped in any way. The case opened with ease at his touch and proceeded to release a dense mistinto the surrounding air. Fearing poison Skeletor covered his face with his cape and told his cohorts to do the same as the pure black fluid hovered around them and refused to dissipate.

When nothing happened, Skeletor waved his arms around clearing the mist out of his way and turned his attention back to the contents of the box. Lying inside on a bed of luxurious black silk were five, identical stones. _Five?!_

Skeletor had been standing motionlessly for a moment in front of the box, then started tapping his foot impatiently. Upon inspecting the contents for herself, Evil-lyn discovered the problem. "Well? Which one is it?" asked Skeletor angrily.

“I told you before the text did not say anything about the appearance of the stone. Besides, they all look the same to me. We should just take them all and figure out which one is the correct one back at Snake Mountain.” Evil-lyn was quick to find a solution in an effort to avoid meeting the business end of his Havoc Staff.

“Fine, grab them all and let’s get out of here. I want to have the power of The Elders in my hands by nightfall.” He stalked back to the pool and slid in gracefully leaving her to transport them.

“Well? Grab the stones and let’s go,” said Evil-lyn as she shoved passed Clawful who was carrying the only sack in his massive red claw.

* * *

The cool, salty air blew up from the sea and wisped passed Mekaneck’s hiding place. From the cliffs, he could see Beastman waiting at the edge of the Sea of Rakash with four gryphons. He did not see Skeletor or any of the other Evil Warriors, but they must be here somewhere. "Beastman is still alone. No sign of Skeletor, Man-at-Arms."

"Keep watching and let us know when the others show up," said Man-at-Arms as he turned toward his fellow Masters. "Alright. When they show up, Buzz-off and Stratos take the northern perimeter and keep those gryphons on the ground if you can. Teela and I will hit them from the south. Be extremely careful. They have an unknown reason for being here that may very well be to obtain some sort of artifact that could be extremely dangerous."

"Skeletor, along with Evil-lyn, Clawful, and Merman just came up out of the sea," whispered Mekaneck. “I can’t see if they have any new weapons or not.

"Alright go!" Teela and Man-at-Arms sprang out from behind the rock and rushed toward Skeletor’s location as they began to mount the flying beasts. Buzz-off and Stratos took to the skies looking to keep Skeletor from trying any aerial assaults. They both began shooting, but the gryphons were racing away too fast for Skeletor to be trying an attack. It looked as though they were fleeing, which was a surprising turn of events to say the least, and possibly a trick so neither winged warrior let up with their barrage of energy blasts.

"Another day, Masters, I've got what I came for," Skeletor announced portentously and started to cackle loudly. As they were fleeing, one of Buzz-off's shots landed on Clawful's gryphon and the beast tumbled through the air. Its wings fanned outward harshly in its downward spiral trying desperately to straighten out and gain altitude again. During the tumble, one of the stones slipped from the loosely held sack and fell toward the sea. Clawful, who did not often ride the beasts, was trying to maintain his grip on the animal and secure the sack at the same time to prevent further loss.

Seeing the object falling with his keen gaze, Buzz-off rapidly dived after it, and in an impressive show of aerial maneuverability he managed to snatch it just before it hit the water.

"No!" hissed Skeletor. "Clawful, you clumsy fool." Retrieving it was not possible now that the Masters had discovered them, so Skeletor could do nothing but continue his flight seething on the inside about his inept warriors. _It is still likely that I have the correct one, or he had better hope I do,_ he thought dangerously.

Buzz-off landed on the cliff side and quickly handed off the stone to Man-at-Arms. The insect-like warriorcould feel that the stone had some sort of power as it had pulsed sluggishly against his skin. The way it felt gave him the impression that it was alive for some reason and made him more than happy to relinquish it. "Whatever this stone is, if Skeletor wanted it, it couldn't have been for any good purpose.”

* * *

A couple days after they recovered the stone, Man-at-Arms stood in his workshop and contemplated what to do with it for the hundredth time. He had already spoken with The Sorceressand she had admitted that she did not know of it. Her cautionary words came back to him, ‘For me to lack knowledge of such an artifact would mean it most likely predates our history. Great care must be taken when you decide what to do with it, Duncan.’ The stone itself radiated with an unknown energy that felt alive, and almost begged to be released. The only thing that he was certain of at this point was that the stone did have its own will, and that succumbing to it could have disastrous effects.

Man-at-Arms turned his attention to the young prince who he had bid accompany him to see The Sorceress. Adam was too young for the immense responsibility he had been given, but he had accepted it graciously after the initial disbelief. The boy had proven himself lately to Man-at-Arms, but to the other Masters he was a coward who ran from battle. It was a harsh way to live; to know that He-man, his alter ego, was Eternia’s hero and he himself was viewed as a childish, playboy. "Adam. I'm going to discuss what to do about the stone with the Masters and King Randor. He-man will be needed for this discussion. I will be waiting out in the courtyard."

Now alone, Adam allowed himself a moment of self-pity.A small part of him resented that he could not allow his own abilities to shine, and that he had been dubbed a malingerer by his comrades. He sighed quietly. _He-man is necessary,_ he thought unfortunately.After a quick check to be sure there were no witnesses to his imminent transformation, holding up his power sword he exclaimed, "By the power of Greyskull… "

"I. Have… the Power!" came He-man’s deeper voice as the transformative energies dispersed.He-man was not unaware of Adam’s feelings and had tried his best to portray the young one in the best light possible whenever the other Masters were around. It was not an ideal situation for either of them to be stuck this way, but it was the situation they had been dealt and they had to make the best of it until they had freed all of Eternia from evil.

He-man walked out of the workshop to find his fellow Masters already assembled, waiting on him and the king. He noticed that besides the king, Ram-man was also absent from the courtyard, but he figured that the large warrior was probably just out fishing and couldn’t be found at the moment. King Randor walked up only moments later looking like he had been woken up from a nap. "What is this all about, Man-at-Arms?" asked the king, barely suppressing a yawn, but looking attentive and serious all the same.

"During our last encounter with Skeletor we managed to retrieve a stone he was trying to steal." He pointed to where the stone lay on a large rock centered in the middle of the courtyard, and those who had not already seen it crowded around to have a look. It was about the size of a fist and a pure black almost like obsidian that glistened in the sunlight. There were yellow, red, and blue bolts of lightning that flashed through the stone as if trapped inside. "You can tell just by looking that the stone holds power; however, there is no record of it in any text I have nor does The Sorceresshave any information about it. She believes it must be very old, possibly even predating our history. Does anyone have knowledge of such a stone?" He waited for an answer that never came and taking that as a no he continued, "I fear it to be very dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands and I believe we should destroy it."

"We do not have any knowledge of its happenings. Destroying it may be the incorrect course of action,” stated Sy-klone.

"I have that fear as well, Sy-klone, but I believe leaving it around will only be a temptation for Skeletor to try and retrieve it again." Man-at-Arms had been hoping one of the members of an older species would have some knowledge of the stone that could aide them in their decision of what to do with it. Sy-klone had been the front runner on that list due to his ancestry, but never leaving the island was probably an explanation in and of itself for his lack of knowledge of not only the stone, but the rest of the outside world as well. _It was worth a shot, but a hopeless venture as I feared._

"I will destroy it. My power sword has been able to absorb the energy of such artifacts in the past," said He-man. He walked up to the stone before anyone could protest and swung down at it with his sword. At first contact the stone exploded outward with an energy barrier rising up and throwing everyone backwards several tens of meters. A cloud of black mist now surrounded the area where the stone had been, blowing lightly in the afternoon breeze, but not seeming to diffuse or disappear. Man-at-Arms used one of his attachments to blow it toward the far side of the courtyard where no one would accidently breath it in.

Rising, most of the Masters started edging closer noting the destruction to the turf that the explosion had caused. He-man could see a small figure hoping down from the rock, and immediately went into a defensive crouch as did the others. Man-at-Arms finally cleared the mist fully and He-man could tell the being was a petit female.

Her head was down but a necklace that was a tiny duplicate of the stone they had just destroyed hung about her neck. He could see nothing of her face, but she had long wavy black hair with streaks of cerulean blue in it and the tips of pointy ears were visible. Her skin was a glittery, semi-translucent white almost as if made of ice, and she was lean but shapely. Her breasts were large and packed into a black corset that was cut at the bottom of the chest to have movement and frame her toned stomach. The female’s shoulders were bare, but long black gloves with silver buckles covered the rest of her arms and ended on the palms allowing the fingers to be free. She wore a small blue and black pleated skirt that hugged her hips tightly, but was free-flowing lower down where it cut across her mid-thigh. The outfit was finished with knee high black boots that had buckles of silver matching the gloves.

She stood there wiggling her fingers, inspecting them as if they were brand new to her. She ran her hands down her stomach and along her hemlines, seemingly reacquainting herself with her own physique. Her hands moved to gently touch her face, and then she slowly stroked fingers through her long hair where she turned the tips upward to survey them. The whole display gave the impression that she had been locked away probably in some kind of incorporeal state, and for quite a long time.

When the girl finally looked up, she showed a face that was not traditional but breathtakingly beautiful nonetheless. She had sharp, high cheekbones and a pointed chin that made her face angular, but it was still soft due to the vibrant skin. Her full blood red lips were held in an emotionless line that conveyed none of her intent at the moment. Hair fell in front of her face on one side covering it from view, but the one eye that was visible was not expected and partially ruined her beauty. It was a black orb that showed no white and no pupil, but the same bolts of color that shot through the stone.

Teela, who had briefly stared at the girl, looked around and noticed all of the men gazing at her with unwavering concentration. They almost appeared as if they had no control over it and she immediately felt threatened by this development. She returned her gaze to the newcomer, who cocked her head to the side as if contemplating them all and simply stared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. Anime-ish OC, but don’t fret; her beauty is essential to the plot line. She will NOT be a Mary Sue. Trust me.


	2. Curiosity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ideas in this chapter have been fleshed out further although there were not any huge changes.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Attempted Rape, sexual themes, language
> 
> Beta-ed by the most amazing beta ever. I have many thanks to give Churnok for his most splendid advice.

Teela had put up with the staring for a minute now because it was a most curious event, but frankly it was starting to get inappropriate and she was done. She looked around at all the men again, each one giving their undivided attention to the girl, and Teela rolled her eyes at the debauchery. The strange female was attractive in a double-edge sort of way, like you wanted to know more about her, to get closer, but something screamed at you not to do it. Even so, she was obviously not human, or of any other known species, and more importantly, young. _Everyone here is either in a relationship, a different species, old, or a combination of all three._

The female warrior walked the short distance to where her father stood and shook him gently. Man-at-Arms woke with a start and cleared his throat as if embarrassed. _Damn right, you should be embarrassed,_ thought Teela. "What should we do, Father?" At her words the girl’s head snapped to the left to focus all her attention on the father, daughter pair. "Hello, um… what is your name?" tried Teela, but the girl only answered with a stare.

Man-at-Arms was on his guard because something just didn’t feel right about this new female. _She doesn’t seem to mean us harm though._ “Do you have a name that we may call you by?" asked Man-at-Arms. The girl, once again, did not answer.

"Man-at-Arms, may I interject?" The girl's eyes shot to where Sy-klone was standing, obviously attracted by the noises. Her face was creepy in its beauty and the quick, sharp movements were overtly predatory. She appeared tenuous and was not being hostile in the least and yet, at the same time, there was just something intimidating about her.

"Yes, Sy-klone. What are you thinking?"

"The Sorceress theorized that the stone itself must have been prehistoric for her to be unaware of its existence. If the girl was trapped inside during the same time period she most likely predates modern language and customs." The explanation surely would explain her strange behavior and appearance, and why she would not respond to their prompting.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zahhk’se Zhria was allowing her eyes to roam all over the intriguing group of creatures standing before her, all of them so different from anyone she had ever known. There was only one female who was pretty with her long red hair and sharpgreen eyes, if not a bit plain. She appeared to be a warrior by her flattering garment and the confident way in which she moved. Suspicion and curiosity flitted back and forth unguarded across the female warrior’s face as if interested, but worried about what her intentions may be.

 _She appears quite young compared to some of the others, but still acts familiar with combat_. _Maybe this time is similar to my own._ An unfortunate thought since her own time had been an eternal nightmare of deceit and death for the majority of her life. Wiping the morose memories for now, she continued with her survey.

There was an older male who the others seemed to be protecting just by their body language. He wore battle gear but also the luxurious robes of court, which led her to believe he was royalty of some sort, possibly the king if they had one. His position made her wary due to her adverse interactions with, and very briefly as, royalty in the past. It was proper to show respect, but those who had ruled the kingdoms she had grown up in were usually whoever proved to be the most ruthless at the time. That assumed ascension to the throne did not depend on one’s lineage, which may not be the case in this society. ere always respected

A large male towered above the others and his well muscled frame was readily visible due to his lack of clothing. He carried a huge sword that pulsed with a powerful energy signature that was the same as the swordsmen’s and yet not. _Interesting._

Three other males appeared to be of the same species as the others by their similarity of skin color and texture, but they each had metal attached to their bodies in varying ways. Much of it appeared to be for battle purposes, but there were additional pieces located in unusual places for traditional armor plating. The oldest of the three and the female seemed to have some sort of familial relationship based on their close proximity and significant age gap. _Although that doesn’t mean anything as older men often have a taste for younger girls._

One of these metal clad men appeared to be rather young and was staring at her with open adoration. His chest-plate and armor were made of a bright, red metal while the rest of his clothing was a single shade of purple. He had a helm that completely covered the upper portion of his face, but contained two triangular spaces within that seemed to be for his eyes. He was not the most interesting to look at, but she appreciated the open emotions he was displaying toward her.

There was another male who at first appeared to be of the same species, but further inspection revealed that he had wings attached to his arms. His body was completely covered in a light gray suit with blue and red accenting, and the muscles underneath were well sculpted, stretching the fabric tightly as if it might tear at any moment. He, like the other metal man, wore something over his eyes so that they could not be seen, which she was not a fan of since it made them appear as if they were trying to hide something.

The last two males were who interested her the most for they were very different fromthe others and had striking differences from her own anatomy. The first looked like a giant insect although the overall silhouette was similar to the others. His coloring consisted of a banding pattern across his chest and multiple shades of yellow and tan throughout his naked exterior. Spines protruded from his back and shoulders, which complimented his large claws in their deadly appearance. A beautiful set of long, translucent wings graced his back, barely showing from the front in their relaxed, downward position. His eyes were the most interesting she had ever seen, a solid greenish, blue in color and they seemed to be partitioned. From her position, she could tell they were inspecting her frame just as much as she was his.

Reluctant to break eye contact, she slowly turned toward the final member of the group, a blue and yellow man that had red disks attached to his body. He appeared to be wearing some sort of suit, but his face was also blue, though a different shade, so she could not be sure if his skin was such or not. His face was framed by yellow cheek-plates and a similar colored helm with red accents protected his head. The helmet and his skin were so ingrained she could not tell where one ended and the other began.

Zahhk’se Zhria decided to take a closer look at each of them, but as soon as she started forward they all took up various defensive positions so she immediately stopped. _So, they are all warriors. I must tread lightly here_ , she thought more cautious than before. The girl waited for them all to relax and tried to look unimposing, which was difficult to do since she did not know what their idea of unimposing was. It seemed to work though as they all started to straighten, and when they seemed calm, she slowly started forward again.

A quick 360° of the large man revealed nothing of significance so she moved on. Each of the metal men and the female were looked over in turn, but rather quickly as the others were of more interest. Although, she paused briefly in front of the youngest metal man and simply allowed him to stare at her. The men all appeared to be attracted to her, but most of them were displaying heavy amounts of curiosity that overrode their lust. This one looked at her as if the world would stop spinning if he allowed his eyes to stray but for a moment, and she liked it… immensely.

Her decision to skip over the royal member was made so as not to offend anyone. It was uncertain whether he would misinterpret her initial curiosity and inspection or if his mate might. Royal women were always especially brutal in the protection of their men, afraid they may lose their positions in the hierarchy if another female were to attract his attention. It was bad form to steal another’s spouse, but it happened all the time, often disguised as a simple separation of partners who were incompatible. It was a gamble because he could take her inattention as disrespect, but she just had a feeling it was better to inquire about him later when they had all adjusted to her presence.

She stopped in front of the man with the feathery wings while making her rounds and inspecting his back did not reveal another set, so in her inquisitiveness she reached out to touch the feathers. Zahhk’se Zhria paused right before her hand made contact with his wings and looked up at his face unsure if he would react violently or not. Probably noticing her hesitance, his arm moved upward into her open palm of its own volition, and she took that as a good sign that continuing would not be an issue. Smiling at him in earnest, the girl proceeded to feel his wings, which were just as a bird's. The feathers were so soft but strong, and she was certain could carry him in flight.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

From his position, Buzz-off could see the girl inspecting each of his comrades, which made him both excited and ashamed of that excitement as he waited for his own turn. He couldn’t comprehend why he was undeniably attracted to this female since she was of a different species. However, there was something about her that commanded attention and everyone, including himself, was obliging.

When she smiled at Stratos, her entire face changed from deadly beauty to one of youthful exuberance, and Buzz-off felt something low in his abdomen flutter. _She is the most beautiful female I have ever seen._ As soon as he thought it, his guilt became twofold because only his queen should capture his appreciation in such a way when it came to females.

However, his breath still caught when she turned toward him and started advancing. He could feel everyone staring and his pride made him hope she would spend more time looking at him than anyone else. Part of him wondered if displaying his wings would scare her, but he thought it might actually impress her instead from the way she had reacted to Stratos’ additions. Vanity got the better of him as his wings spread outward a little so they could be more easily seen, but not enough for it to look like he was trying.

Whenthe girl stopped in front of him and allowed her eyes to take in his figure, the andreenid leader was pleased with how long she was taking. He was not, however, expecting it when she placed her hand on one of the spines that wrapped around his body from the back and slowly caressed it. He looked down at her with heat in his eyes, trembling slightly as his arousal steadily built. The reaction was instantaneous and incomprehensible, but he wanted nothing more than to ravage her right there; a fact that was enough to frighten him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Enjoying the reaction from this male, Zahhk’se Zhria moved her hand upward to his chest and heard his breath rattle out in a long sigh. She tested his skin, finding it to be hard instead of soft like the others and slowly ran both her hands along his body toward his waist. She could feel the slight temperature change beneath her fingers as he became aroused. This was not the time to have sex though so she made her way behind him until she was staring at his wings.

Buzz-off was trying not to react to the girl's touch but damn it was hard. When she touched him it felt like his skin was on fire and all he wanted to do was touch her back, but he stubbornly kept his claws at his sides. He was nervous when she stopped behind him and hoped she wouldn’t touch his wings like she had with Stratos, but that is exactly what happened. Eyes closing immediately, his whole body shuddered with the down-stroke and he leaned into the contact slightly. The need to sense subtle changes in air currents had ultimately led to the highly innervated wings every andreenid possessed. The delicate appendages were so sensitive to touch, the pleasure he felt from her gentle caress could only be described as exquisite.

 _Hmm, the wings are very sensitive_ , and she filed that away for later use. If she ever got the chance to entertain him, that information could be used for his benefit. Moving back in front of him, the girl had one more thing she wished to inspect.

Embarrassed that everyone had seen how he reacted to the girl's touch, Buzz-off was glad that his turn was over. However, the girl had other ideas and he was at a loss of what to do when she dropped to her knees in front of him. He looked down at her in shock and took a shaky step backwards, but thankfully she didn’t reach for him. Instead her head cocked to the side and once again she simply stared in what could be nothing other than contemplation. _And I am sure I know what she is thinking._

Seeing his reaction, Zahhk’se Zhria did not wish to set him off so she just stared instead of touching. She was trying to figure out if he had genitalia or not and if so, how it worked. It did not appear to be in between his legs as it was in males from her own time period, which begged the question of whether or not he was simply different or if all the males of this time were as such. _It is a strange concept. I will have to think upon it for now._ The girl stood and without another word, made her way over to the last male.

The first thing she noticed were his penetrating, deep blue eyes, and surprisingly, the lack of lust reflected in them; this one seemed to just be as curious about her as she was about him. Allowing her hands to wander all over his upper body, she decided that it was indeed a suit. _I wonder what he looks like underneath._ She was about to continue her inspection when a sharp pain came from her stomach. Wrapping an arm around her torso, the girl used her other arm to prop herself up against the blue man's body.

Sy-klone noticed the pain and immediately called to Man-at-Arms, "Something afflicts the female. What should we do?" Her face was contorted in pain and she was clutching her stomach in a way that pointed toward hunger as the likely culprit.

"Well we don’t know the conditions of her confinement, but it appears as though she might just need to eat. Take her to my workshop, Sy-klone, so I can run some tests. Be gentle and non-threatening though, we do not know anything about her and the communication barrier is an issue. I would hate for her to misinterpret your intentions as an attack. Stratos, Buzz-off find her something to eat." He paused for a moment and then continued, "Bring a variety. I'm not sure what she eats."

* * *

Skeletor had been ranting for hours now about how they were all useless, incompetent fools. He had strung Tri-klops and Trap-jaw up over a lava pool as soon as they had gotten back. Evil-lyn felt bad for them because the throne room actually looked great. At least they weren't IN the lava pool or hung up in any of the creative poses their master could usually come up with to contort the body… most painfully.

Things had only gotten worse when Skeletor could not awaken power from any of the stones. He had blasted Clawful with his Havoc Staff enough times to put the poor creature down for days. "Five Stones! Five stones and we lose the only important one! Argh! I'll have Clawful's head for this."  He swung his staff at the stones, scrapping them up from the rock they lie against, and sending them across the room toward one of the wading pools. One landed in the water while the other three clattered along the floor before settling listlessly without the slightest indication that they possessed any sort of magic within.

Evil-lyn went to retrieve them when all four disappeared and reappeared on the rock where they had been kept for the last couple of hours. They glowed for a moment, giving off almost undetectable amounts of energy, and then lay quiet. The movement caught Skeletor's eye and he moved to examine them further. "They must have power to do such a thing, so why can I not awaken them?"

He was just thinking out loud but Evil-lyn answered him anyways. "Whatever there function is, it is most likely that you must possess all of them before invocation," stated the woman softly.

"Yes. We must retrieve the last stone. Have Tri-klops send out his Doomseekers and find where the Masters are keeping it." He stalked back up to his throne and sat down in a flourish of his cape. Noticing Evil-lyn had not moved he growled, "You defy me?!"

"No, Lord Skeletor. It's just, you hung Tri-klops and Trap-jaw up out by the lava pools, remember?"

Never one to be deterred, "Quite right, dear Evil-lyn. Do get them down. We have work to do," and with that she was dismissed.

* * *

The older metal clad man had been probing her with all sorts of instruments since they had brought her into this metal-working building. Zahhk’se Zhria assumed he was doing tests on her but nothing had hurt so she allowed it. However, that changed when he stuck something into her left arm that resulted in a sharp pinch so she hissed at him viciously. The young warrior backed up at her vocalizations and upon seeing his fear she suppressed her reaction, turning instead to see what was being done to her arm.

The man was stealing her blood! She panicked instantly and her magic ignited, eyes beginning to glow just a bit. She didn’t want to give anything away though so she claimed deep breaths and calmed herself. _I don’t like this,_ but she let him do it anyways and in the end, the amount he took from her had been small enough that her worry subsided.

“Uh. Man-at-Arms. Why is it black?” asked Mekaneck.

“I’m not sure. I will run tests on it and see what I can find out.” Man-at-Arms was insanely curious about the girl if not a bit worried about her past. Beings that were locked away in ancient artifacts were usually placed in such prisons for good reasons, most of them having to do with unsavory intentions.

They brought her food of all kinds, which Zahhk’se Zhria devoured in a matter of moments. She was surprised by the variety and how good everything tasted, some of the savors being familiar while others were brand new. The warriors had correctly deduced that her body was in need of fuel, but there were two kinds of food she needed and to get the other she must find a way to leave them.

"Well at least now we know she doesn't eat humans or anything," joked Mekaneck.

Everyone laughed and Ram-man replied, "Yeah, but she did tear into that fish faster than anything else."

It had quickly been determined that the girl was fond of meat even though she had eaten everything else as well. Three pairs of dagger-like teeth had elongated when she went to tear into the flesh of the fish. One upper set and the only lower set correlated with human canines, but the other upper pair was set farther back in her mouth. It had been freaky to watch them extend and for her to eat especially since the pair in the back looked as if they would be impaling her own jaw.

Ram-man was upset he had not been present for the girl's arrival earlier but had heard about it from the others. She had given him a glance and nothing more when they were finally introduced. He was disappointed to say the least, especially when he had heard the story of Buzz-off’s intimate encounter.

* * *

The Doomseekers had been sent to Eternos on a reconnaissance mission for the past few hours in an effort to find out the whereabouts of the stone. They had yet to overhear anything, but recently one of the machines had happened upon the Masters entering Man-at-Arms’ workshop. Skeletor ordered the projection to remain with this Doomseeker as it was now their best chance of gleaning the information they required. No one had entered or left for quite some time now, so the sorcerer figured the inventor was doing a weapons demonstration, but there was no way to gain access without attracting unwanted attention. With a growl, he resigned himself to waiting for someone to leave.

Buzz-off, with Ram-man right on his heels, was the first to emerge from the building looking both angry and embarrassed. "Hey Buzz, just wondering if you could tell me if what they say happened was true? I mean, were the guys joking with me or not?"

Buzz-off turned aggressively. In order to get into the much larger man’s face and make a point, the insect hovered in the air almost two feet off the ground. "I don't want to discuss it."

Ram-man smiled. "Touchy. Must be true what they said." Buzz-off hummed angrily, and then sped off while Ram-man walked away laughing.

"Hmm. I wonder what has gotten the insect so upset," Skeletor asked no one in particular. Not having received any useful information yet, they continued watching the projection waiting for others to leave.

Mekaneck and Man-E-Faces were the next pair to leave, strolling out many minutes later looking rather thrilled about something. "I'm glad He-man destroyed that stone, look what it has brought us," said Mekaneck in delight.

"Destroyed!" raged Skeletor.

He stood up and almost destroyed the Doomseeker right then and there, but Evil-lyn’s voice stopped him as she exclaimed, "Wait! They are saying something!"

"…courtyard got destroyed, but it was never as nice to look at as her."

His mind went rampant at the words, possible explanations for the incomprehensible jabber coming to the forefront. _Her? I wonder who they are discussing. That little brat, Teela? That doesn’t make any sense._

"I just can't believe what happened with Buzz-off. I swear when she got down on her knees in front of him, I thought the girl was going to try to give him head right there in front of all of us."

Laughing Mekaneck replied, "He thought so too! Did you see his face? He was so embarrassed, but you could tell he was enjoying the attention even if the man won't admit it."

"Hey, at least he got touched…" Their voices trailed off as they walked out of range leaving Skeletor still unsure of what Buzz-off had been angry about as he did not understand the turn of phrase.

Evil-lyn could not contain herself any longer and started laughing loudly. It was obvious by their expressions that neither Skeletor nor Tri-klops understood what ‘give head’ meant. Trap-jaw, she knew was familiar with the slang and was also chuckling softly in the corner. Sure enough Skeletor's voice cut through their laughter, "Evil-lyn, do you know what this means, 'give head?’"

The woman couldn’t help but laugh harder at the serious and ill-informed way in which he spoke of such a subject. When she finally recovered, Skeletor was waiting angrily for her reply. "They meant, that whoever this girl is, she looked as if she was going to suck Buzz-off's dick," and she saw Tri-klops flinch at the suggestion. "I wasn't sure he even had one seeing as how he runs around naked all the time, but I guess they must breed somehow," and her laughter started up again.

"Interesting. Tri-klops have one of the Doomseekers go to the courtyard so that I may see the destruction they spoke of." The mage sat up on his throne again and steepled his fingers, which was customary for him anytime he was waiting for something to happen on the projection.

"Right, boss." Tri-klops used his gauntlet to send instructions to one of the Doomseekers while his mind was lost in thought about this girl. _What kind of person finds a giant bug attractive?_ When the Doomseeker had finally arrived at the courtyard, he changed frequencies typing in the code on instinct. There was a circle with a diameter of about 100 meters centered around a large rock that was similar to the destruction pattern of one of Evil-lyn’s magical explosions.

"Return to the previous frequency." The destruction was a good sign that the power must still be contained somewhere else, suggested by the appearance of this new girl. It was a similar occurrence as that of the appearance of He-man and disappearance of the Elders.

"The warrior Stratos, Teela, and Man-at-Arms are leaving now, Skeletor," said Tri-klops in his gravelly voice. "That only leaves the wind master, Sy-klone, left in the workshop."

Sy-klone walked out only a second later with an unusual looking girl right by his side, her black and white figure a stark contrast to his bright red and yellow one. Not to mention she was tiny, not just short but thin as well.

Tri-klops couldn’t help but stare intently at her though because she was nothing if not beautiful. It took him awhile, but he finally shook his head at his own actions with the thought, _what am I thinking?_ He looked around to see that all of the men were just as engrossed in the projection while Evil-lyn was smirking at him. He scowled at her and crossed his arms, which only caused her to snicker.

Skeletor was busy taking in the girl's appearance, immediately noting that she did not appear to be of any species in which he was familiar. _She must have been trapped within the stone._ The girl was quite attractive in a strange sort of way and he felt his body stir in response to her image.The mage had not entertained himself with a woman since the accident that robbed him of his face,but that did not mean he didn’t feel the urge every once in awhile. He glanced at Evil-lyn, thinking about all that was lost that fateful day when his face had been destroyed.

"Skeletor?" chimed the witch with too much knowing in her voice. "The girl wears a necklace that is the same as the stone. She must be the great power the text mentioned."

"That girl is a power to be reckoned with?” he scoffed. “I doubt it. Nevertheless, we must capture her and see what she knows."

* * *

Later that night, Zahhk’se Zhria snuck out of the room they had given her under the cloak of darkness. The door had been locked from the outside almost as if she were their prisoner, not their guest, but she had picked it easily. _I'm so hungry and… weak,_ she thought desperately. She quickly moved throughout the castle staying in the shadows created by the lamps and made her way across the palace grounds. The girl avoided all of the guards that were doing their nightly patrols with ease and kept moving.

‘Feed away from where you are staying when you do not know what kind of situation you are in. Those who do not understand you will not tolerate our type of feeding,’ her mmdarn’se words came back to her from that day in survival training. _I need to find a town or something._

About an hour later she came to a large city with bustling streets even in the middle of the night. Her intention was to find the stockades, but there was no time as a strong arm pulled her into an alley. "What do we have here? Such a pretty slut wandering around all alone at night. Not very smart are you girl?" he spoke to deaf ears, and she could smell the bitterness that was alcohol as it assaulted her senses. The ugly man started to laugh and two other voices farther down the alley joined his. The first man picked her up with hands around her waist and slammed her body against one of the alley walls. He grabbed the front of her corset harshly and tried to kiss her to which she opened her mouth eagerly to allow him access.

Thinking he was overpowering her, the man continued his onslaught of her mouth unaware of her deadly intentions. He did not notice that his strength was quickly being drained out through his mouth and where his aura made contact with her own. By the time he realized something was wrong, it was already much too late. He tried to pry her off him but she held fast to his shirt collar and with legs around his waist, draining his sexual energy, and eventually his life energy, away until nothing was left.

The other two men slowly watched their friend die thinking everything was fine, until he collapsed. Their stunned faces finally turned toward her, watching as her long wavy hair floated and moved slowly from a gentle wind originating from her body. Her eyes had turned bright red and burned with an internal fire that was set ablaze whenever she fed. They tried to run, but stopped cold when a strong wave pulsed from her body and assaulted their senses. Turning back toward the girl, they waited patiently where they stood with contented looks upon their faces. She pounced on one of them, staggering his body with the force of the blow, and then devoured him just as she had done the first man.

This time though, she was already high from her first feed and did not show any form of restraint. She attacked his mouth with lips, tongue, and teeth, the feeding inciting a feeling of ecstasy and arousal. When she tasted blood, a high keening noise resounded from her, and she became even more ravenous against his mouth. She had been denied any form of feeding, gratification, or release for so long she couldn’t hold back. The blood gushed into her mouth and turned her on so quickly she felt a tight clenching in her groin. Her only coherent thought, _it tastes so good._

The man never fought her; he enjoyed himself even as his life was snuffed out. Red ruin was all that was left in place of his mouth as he slowly collapsed, oxygen-starved tissues no longer strong enough to fight gravity. Riding him to the ground, she paused momentarily to extend her teeth and then tore into the dying man’s thigh enjoying the feel of raw flesh between her teeth. Only the blood interested her for feeding, but that did not stop her from ravaging the body.

When the prone form had nothing left to give, she forgot about him entirely, instead yanking the other man by his ankle. His head smashed into the ground and he was knocked out cold, not that it mattered; he wasn’t resisting her anyways. She repeated the entire cycle, draining him dry of both energy and blood, and she was finally sated… for now.

When Zahhk’se Zhria was done, she headed back toward the palace where she was currently being housed. As she walked, the solid black eyes bled away revealing large irises that shifted through one color after the next, and now the only lightning that flashed was black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She is going to be so bad…ass!
> 
> Tazllol Language  
> -‘se is added to the end of words to show possession just as –‘s is in English. 
> 
> Listed in Order of Appearance:  
> Zahhk’se Zhria-Her name. Roughly translated to Dragon’s Trikiss  
> Mmdarn-mother


	3. Power and Adaptation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some added parts particularly in the dialogue and relating to Tris’ thoughts and emotional state.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Mentions of rape, gore, violence
> 
> Beta-ed by the most amazing beta ever. I have many thanks to give Churnok for his most splendid advice.

Zahhk’se Zhria was lying on the bed inside the room that they had provided for her in the lower levels of the palace. She was thinking intensely about the men she had just fed upon and it made her angry. _How could you allow yourself to lose control like that,_ she mentally chided. She was not averse to killing someone if there was a purpose in it, but it could not be allowed out of hunger and desperation for the risk of losing herself was too great.

 _Yelling at yourself will do you no good. You were imprisoned, your desires had been building for a long time,_ _and you made a mistake. Nothing more. Let it go._ They had been trying to rape her anyways and that was a grave mistake on their part. Her mmdarn’se words of caution had become of great use given her situation and she had clearly remembered the apt warning for this, ‘Do not pick a fight with someone you do not know, for they may be capable of things you never imagined.’

Still, she could not help remembering who her people had been and the desires they had allowed to control them for so long.

XXXXXXX **Flashback** XXXXXXX

The lust for sex and blood was relentless. She fed and killed and fed some more, but still she felt unfulfilled. The warrior slaughtered the beings before her one by one with her favorite long-blade, tearing into body after body with a one handed strike from the heavy weapon, but still it was not enough. Warm blood dripped down her fully armored frame, a small pool collecting around her motionless form as she surveyed her surroundings. Those of her kind to her left and right were reveling in their kills, thirsty, always so thirsty for more, more, more. The spark that had started this frenzy was lost in her mind, shrouded by the uncontrollable need for food, for sex, for power.

Men lay around her, dismembered and drained of everything that gave their bodies life: energy, blood, and semen. Villagers were taken and given more pleasure than they had everknown while their lives were eagerly drained away. Lives were lost, snuffed out regardless of situation. Families were destroyed, children orphaned, crying while their parents were torn apart. All of it… was for nothing.

This was the way of tazllolse, opposing attributes dominated them making their lives a constant battle between logic and instinct. They had been designed by whatever form of creation to be desirable, undeniable, and irresistible. They were tempests whose bodies had evolved into perfection, their only purpose to draw in others no matter the species. They were givers of pleasure, granters of wild, lust-filled dreams. And yet…

…it was all a lie. They were predators in every sense. They gave nothing, they only destroyed and consumed, ruining everything with their touch. Their lives were meaningless, for not a one was happy. Confliction, paradox. Perfect words to describe them because each half was not meant to be part of the same whole. Right now, none of them cared about their victims. Later, everything would be different. When they came down from their highs they would feel lost and betrayed by their own bodies. They would mourn for those they had killed and drown in the misery that they had no control over their own lives.

Men told themselves it was not rape because the women begged them for it even with their last breaths. The females spoke the same words, but neither sex believed that. It was all a vain attempt to justify to themselves that it was who they were and nothing could be done to help that. This was the only way to maintain any sanity they had left. Some had lost that fight though. Out of their highs, many had wept and nothing could fill the hole that built in their hearts. The girl had seen many of her people take their own lives just to make this torturous cycle finally end while others had simply lost themselves to the madness of it all.

She knew all this in her mind, but right now the cravings were upon her and she just could not stop. Her palebelly was full of blood and her body could hold no more energy but still she wanted more.

A man only a few feet to her left caught her attention and, scrutinizing his face, showed a pair of eyes with no horror in them; they were devoid of all emotion. He was a scrawny thing and did not excite her interests in the least. Everything about him was plain, from the flat brown of his hair, to his pale almond eyes, and even his skin was monotone. She could feel his particular energy, but unlike all of her other victims he was not aroused by her appearance even after her body pulsed. _Curious._

 _Maybe I should try to elicit fear from him._ Zahhk’se Zhria gave a wicked grin and then licked the blood of fallen men from her sword staring intently at his face the entire time. She was surprised when still he did not flinch, but then again he had probably already resigned himself to the unpleasant end that would befall him. It was not strange for victims to look upon her people with horror, but neither was it uncommon to see pity. Lust was only seen when they used their magic to entice their prey to them because after they had begun to feed none of the other species found them attractive anymore.

She picked the man up and, lips to his, began to suck him dry although it was far from enjoyable as his taste was just as plain as the rest of him. The energy did not burn through her, it did not light up her nerve endings giving her that customary high. It did nothing for her. She was determined to have the unpleasantness of this feeding over but… she could not finish. At first the girl thought her body was just too full and some energy must be released to take the rest, but this was not the solution. The man stared at her with the knowledge of her plight and for the first time it was she who was afraid.

Afraid of the truth.

It was not that her body was too full; she did not want to kill him. This man stirred something deep inside her and his life became important to her. The young warrior wanted him to live, to feel his heart continue beating against her chest. Without further prompting her frenzied mind quieted, her lust settling back from where it came, and suddenly she could see clearly again. It was something she had never felt before for never had she been able to stop mid-feed. Only when she was full beyond compare and exhausted from the exertions of the butchery would she finally pass out. It was in this unconscious state that the hunger would finally abate, and then she would wake to face unadulterated what she had done.

She stared at the man and he replied to the unspoken question in her eyes. "It is what you need to help your people and the societies you so carelessly rule over." With that he wrenched himself away from her grasp and impaled himself on her loosely held, upturned sword. He shoved himself farther onto it so he could grab her hand to stop her as she tried to pull the blade from him. He held her still with a strength he should not possess and quickly bled out. As he died he became heavier and heavier until she had to take him into her arms to prevent him from slicing himself in half from the weight pressing downward on the sword.

Thoughts escaped her as she stared dumbfounded at his lifeless corpse, and then came a deep pain. It was not of the body or of the mind… but of the soul. _I wanted him to live. I would have let him live,_ but he had taken that away from her _._ The young warrior collapsed to the ground with him still in her arms and cried. _Why,_ why had he done it? Why had he killed himself when she would have let him live, when he knew she would have? It pained her, but it gave her something to reflect on, something to yearn for.

He had given her something, something she so desperately needed. It was knowledge, knowledge that fueled hope inside her. Hope she had not felt in a long, long time.

The chaos around her did not falter, there was no shining moment where the world stopped and she became a savior. She stared at the plain man and his emotionless eyes stared back. Why had he chosen her? Someone else, someone pure would have been the right choice. The knowledge to help herself and others was there, but it would be a long and dangerous fight to tame those who neither loved nor cared about her. _It must be done for we cannot continue living as we do now._

_We feed ourselves into oblivion._

XXXXXXX **Flashback** XXXXXXX

It was a horrific memory she carried but that day had been a turning point in her life, and it had marked the date of salvation for her people. _Except they seem not to exist anymore by the way everyone treats me._ Still, the memory was a cherished oneas was that man even though she knew not even his name.

An untimely knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts and she sat up slowly on her bed. The one known as Mekaneck came in carrying some sort of food, or so she assumed, on a silver tray. It was different from the previous day’s food and strange to her eyes as it was so colorful. She had never seen anything like it before. She wasn’t hungry but she was curious and taking a few bites would be polite as he had gone through the trouble of bringing it to her. Zahhk’se Zhria had seen the serving girls during her short time in the palace and knew this was not his normal task. He was a warrior not a servant and she was humbled that he would do that for her. Assuming that he hadn’t been ordered to, but that was doubtful by the look of worship he always had whenever he looked at her.

When Mekaneck saw her new eyes, he faltered, all forms of motion leaving his body. It felt as though he could not look away from the drifting colors, they were mesmerizing in their movement and striking in their clarity. They possessed a depth that had him drowning with no way of escape.

When she finally blinked the connection was severed, and he asked in a slightly fear filled voice, "What happened to your eyes?" Knowing she did not possess the words to answer him, he instantly felt stupid for asking. The stronger emotion and logical side of his brain instantly driving away his fear. The girl lifted herself off the bed fluidly and touched his arm gently in what was probably meant to be a soothing greeting, but only succeeded in electrifying him. Her dainty hands moved away from his body, taking the tray firmly and moving toward the night table.

Mekaneck could not keep his eyes from roaming over her figure when she turned around, but managed to be looking in the general area of her face by the time she faced him again. He tried not to look as guilty as he felt, but knew the embarrassment was creeping into his youthful features.

 _I will have to be more careful around these men. I am out of practice._ Her gaze had captured him momentarily unlike the previous day because now her energy levels were up and her power returning. It would not be wise to have an effect on the men until she knew more about her situation. She had taken a much needed moment to calm herself and refocus while turned away from him. When Zahhk’se Zhria had turned back she knew the warrior had been ogling her by the guilty look on his face, but she was just flattered that he had noticed. _I wonder why he is embarrassed to be looking at me._

Forgetting it for now, the girl figured it was time to try out the few words she had learned of his language. Simple repetition was usually enough for her to learn a new language, which was apparently a rare gift among other species, but a foundation of hers. She assumed it was an adaptation her people had needed since interspecies-interactions were necessary for their survival. "Thank you, Mek-a-neck."

Mekaneck gaped at her in surprise, completely in shock that she had already begun to pick up some words. He couldn’t help his body’s pleasant response to her voice, which was a low alto that exuded sex and not at all how he had imagined it would be probably because of her appearance. He had expected that she would be soft-spoken and that her voice would be higher in pitch than that throaty sound. _Why am I surprised? She looks like a wet dream come alive._

He knew that speaking to her was almost pointless, but nonetheless the silence felt awkward so he attempted to make conversation. "When you are finished eating, Man-at-Arms wants you to come down and tour the palace." There was a bob of the head as if in agreement, but he didn’t think there was any real comprehension of the words. When the food sat on her lap obviously abandoned, Mekaneck took her gently by the arm and lead her out of the room.

Along the hall and down the stairs, the girl allowed herself to once again be impressed by the gargantuan place that was Eternos. The palace alone was a massive, shining thing that was really like a working city in and of itself besides the surrounding areas and lands that made up the entirety of the city. There were pairs of soldiers guarding most of the doorways and hundreds of people roaming the halls, engrossed in the tasks of the day. Everyone who lived in the city was housed inside these walls, earning a living, working hard, and raising their families.

Outside, there was a great, flat area mostly for greeting new arrivals by the look of it, which was surrounded by a tall stone wall. It had statues of different men and woman atop it like watchful sentinels and the entire thing protected the surrounding area from the outside world. On the other side of the walls was a vast emptiness with scattered pockets of these creatures in between the large cities and towns.

In some ways it was similar to what she remembered of the cities in her time. The people definitely flocked together in such a manner with the occasional loaners like her own family living on the outskirts of society. It was similarly coordinated with every person knowing what was expected of them and very few who were begrudged with their lives. They too were a warring people so armaments were always displayed and the cities highly fortified with similar stone walls.

Differently though was the design of the cities and palaces. Their cities tended to be built upwards just as much as outward and there were many levels and tunnels that intertwined such that it was easy to be lost if you knew not where you were going. There were no grand entrances and tall hallways leading to other rooms such as the ones here. The biggest difference was that in her society every man, woman, and child was fully capable of battle. Here it seemed, although sex and age were not decisive factors for warrior status, there were only a handful of warriors for all of the ‘commoners’ as they were called. Those individuals who performed other jobs and skills while depending on the protection of the ‘Masters’ in emergencies.

Upon her arrival to the terrace, she noticed Man-at-Arms and Teela standing by themselves speaking intensely. Mekaneck did not seem worried by this, but instead led her to a small area where Man-E-Faces and the fat male from yesterday who had brought her the fish sat. Man-E-Faces intrigued her because all of his faces actually seemed to possess a different personality as opposed to just being alternative façades. When he changed faces, his body actually adjusted to perform different tasks and took on a different persona that felt just as real as any of the others. He was honestly different from any person she had ever met, and was interested in his form even if her body was not aroused by his appearance.

Zahhk’se Zhria noticed the two men’s eyes fell where she touched Mekaneck and tried to hide the small smile that graced her lips. It was nice to have these coveted men vying for her attention, an appreciated change from the disgusted and often hateful looks she had received from her own males. It was strange too since there were so many other women around that they could have, and she was sure that their warrior status would be attractive to the females. The smile slowly faded with the recognition that Buzz-off and Sy-klone were not present for this meeting. The girl had wanted to try to speak with them, but since few words were known to her maybe it was for the best.

The two Masters stood and allowed the girl to sit down unimpeded. She smiled at each one of them in turn and seemed to just be waiting patiently for whatever was going to happen next. They were both at a loss for words though and instead chose to just wait until Man-at-Arms and Teela joined them. "How are you feeling?" asked Man-at-Arms when the duo had finally finished their argument.

The girl looked to Mekaneck for some kind of help. "Um… I think she is doing fine. She said my name this morning."

This did not surprise Man-at-Arms in the least; he knew the girl was more than she seemed and very perceptive. She had picked up on their body language quickly yesterday and had purposely ignored King Randor during her walk through in what he was sure was an effort to avoid trouble.

A private conversation later that evening between himself and the king had given him insight into the king’s perspective. Specifically the king was certain the girl’s reaction meant that she had dealt unfavorably with royalty in the past. He had mentioned it was probably for the best that they make the girl feel welcomed, but that the king himself would not have much contact with her. Man-at-Arms had seconded that notion. "I believe she will be able to pick up our language quite easily. We just need to speak readily in front of her."

"You think that's wise?" asked Teela.

"Obviously not about anything we need to keep to ourselves. Just try to have conversations with her." The scientist was determined to figure the girl out as soon as possible so that they knew what to do with her. If capable and willing, there may be a place for her among the Masters. They always needed more help in their efforts to stop Skeletor, but there was also the possibility that she would just assimilate into normal life like the other city folk.

"Yeah, whatever," Teela huffed and stalked off.

Zahhk’se Zhria was curious about Teela’s attitude and dismissal, but thought it best to focus on the situation at hand. She was pretty sure they were speaking about her and her lack of communication by the gesturing. Reading would be the quickest way for her to pick up their language and pantomiming a book for them got their immediate attention.

"I think she wants a book," said Man-E, “but the language will be foreign to her. Why would she want one?"

"Let's take her to the library and find out," replied Man-at-Arms with hidden interest.

* * *

Tri-klops was trying to focus on repairing his Doomseeker, but Skeletor would not stop pestering him. Every two minutes the sorcerer would ask him to change the frequency in hopes of catching a glimpse of the girl. He had decided they would need to see her habits and how well guarded she was going to be during her stay at the palace, which made sense, but the mage was getting a bit obsessed in his opinion. "Change the frequency." The inventor sighed and switched it; of course he wasn’t going to allow the Overlord of Evil to know of his annoyance.

As fortune would have it the Doomseeker was actually right behind the girl, who was being escorted by three of the Masters toward the library. All of the men in the room were suddenly very interested in the projection and the hypnotic way in which her hips were swaying.

On the other hand, the only woman directed her attention toward Skeletor wondering what his fascination was with the girl. At first she thought it was because the girl was the only lead on the stones that they had, but it was more than that. She was undeniably beautiful, but there was a whole other level of attraction coming from her that was not simple beauty. Evil-lyn was thinking maybe it was a type of fascination magic usually referred to as glamour.She had heard of this magic being used to make oneself more appealing to others, and that would explain why the girl appeared so enticing to all of men. _I'll have to get close before I can know for sure._

Tri-klops could not stop staring at the girl. She had plagued his dreams the whole night and he wondered why this girl aroused his interests. He had not been with a woman for a long time nordid he get the urge very often, preferring to be left alone. Besides, the only woman around was Evil-lyn and she had become more of a bossy older sister than a lust interest. Some of the others had looked at Teela a time or two, but he had never even considered her being that she was only a child. Also there was the fact that she was an uppity brat, not to mention on the other side and unlike some of the others, he did not do rape.

The projection showed the warrior Mekaneck retrieving a book and placing it in front of the girl with a look of confusion that suggested he was unsure of what she was going to do with it. _It is a book. She is going to read it,_ and of course that is what she did. She opened it to the first page and quickly began flipping page after page.

Tri-klops did not think the other warrior was that stupid but maybe he overestimated his opponent’s intelligence if he didn’t know what a book was for. He was surprised at the speed in which the girl was running through the pages, and it seemed like only minutes before she finished with a book as thick as her fist.

Flipping back to the beginning, she placed her small hand a little above the page and closed her eyes with a look of easy concentration. There was a slight glow to her extremity and from their vantage point they could see the letters on the page translating themselves into another language. The girl once again flipped through the text with unmatched speed until finally closing the book with a satisfied look upon her face. She pointed to another on the closest shelf and simply said, "Please?” with a heavy accent that sounded almost like an animal incapable of making human sounds was trying to speak.

Skeletor watched as she consumed book after book after book and did not let up for almost six hours. After the first twenty books or so she translated fewer and fewer pages of each additional text she read.The Masters came and went, most watching her with curiosity or awe, either emotion always tainted with a hint of lust. As if they had disappeared from her world, still the girl read, only addressing whomever was in the room when she desired another book. The only one who remained the entire time was Mekaneck and the only one who did not show up was Buzz-off.

Even the constantly floating jester had trailed through at one point. The girl’s eyes followed him everywhere as he darted about grabbing the so called ‘most interesting’ books from the highestshelves to give her.

The mage looked around at his minions taking in all the facial expressions as they followed the movements of the girl in the projection. Tri-klops’ was neutral, having already returned to his work. _Of course that eunuch would be the only one who doesn’t want the girl._ The rest of the men showed mixes of boredom, their eyes flicking from the image to the rest of the room and back, but still there was a hint of lingering arousal coloring every face. Beastman had a particularly nasty look as he watched unwavering like his mind was playing with the idea of eating the girl while raping her. Skeletor made a mental note to avoid allowing the female to spend any time alone with him when they captured her.

When the sorcerer turned his attention to Evil-lyn, he found her staring at him in return. When their eyes met there was a momentary connection as there always wasdue to times long gone but never forgotten. In this moment her look was one of contemplation, but he couldn’t tell what about by her features alone. She had always been hard to read, only allowing emotions to play across her face as she wished them.

He returned his attention to the projection just in time to see the girl close her latest book and yawn heavily. Her body leaned backwards against the chair, stretching her arms above her head in the universal need to move after having sat for such a long period of time. The men showed renewed interest as her snugcorset came dangerously close to revealing the ample chest beneath. "Mek-a-neck… thank you fr… remaining in the vi-cin-ity… with me thss en-tire… l-lngth of time. It msst have beeen… bor-ing fr you."

The Master appeared astounded by her words and Skeletor didn’t see why as the girl did not pronounce the words very well, but he answered the mage’s unspoken question with his next carefully enunciated sentence, "How did you learn to speak our language that fast?"

"I read the bookss… in yr lan-gu-age and then… transs-lated them to mine sso I co-uld com-pare." She spoke slowly but her speech was improving rapidly as she seemed to get used to the sounds that were supposed to be used. "I am tire-d. May we go back to my… room?"

"Sure. I'll just put the books away and we will leave."

Skeletor knew that there was more to the young female than her behavior was revealing. _She has already showed power, intelligence, and adaptation._ The girl was proving to be more and more valuable with each passing day.

* * *

Zahhk’se Zhria repeated the same trip to the library each day for the next three days enjoying herself immensely. Accumulating knowledge was not only favorable for anyone, but one of her favorite past times as well. She marveled at the new language, at how easy it was to comprehend when compared to her own. Tazllolian had many more letters in the alphabet, which resulted in a much larger range of sounds being used to create words. The overall tone of the languages was different as well, her own language sounding much harsher and guttural than this English. There was still more to learn and she chose some words incorrectly according to the context of a sentence, but she was pleased with her progress.

Most of the texts she encountered were what seemed to be children’s stories, games and their rules, and historical records. There were also volumes that explained the meanings of other words and something called an encyclopedia, which was an alphabetical list of things, and each thing was characterized by what it was. All of it was so very fascinating, but she couldn’t help but notice the lack of any scientific or magical scriptures. _Disappointing but not entirely unexpected_. By the end of that third day she had finished all the books, although she had noticed that the amount had severely decreased from her first trip to the library, which she could only conclude as someone’s attempts to hide information from her.

Mekaneck had become her escort around the palace, whether by accident or design she wasn’t sure, but he was the only one that never left her side save for the brief periods when they slept. Being that the library was no longer a bountiful source of novel information, on this day they decided instead to head for the dining hall to join the other Masters. The young warrior told her a funny joke and they were laughing quietly when they sauntered into the hall.

Everyone abruptly stopped their conversations and turned to peer at both of them. She paid them no attention, however, because she was in awe of the dining hall as it was the first time she had ever seen one. Consuming organic based foodstuffs was considered a private affair in her society, only families and sometimes close friends coming together to eat. This room was impressive to say the least; it could easily fit everyone in the palace and more. There was more food than she had ever seen accumulated in one spot laid out all over the tables and the serving girls were walking around with trays of drinks.

The smells that accosted her senses were delectable including those from the food that was still breathing. All the energy she could ever possibly need was sitting before her laughing and joking but unavailable for the taking. No one here would understand how she fed and they would fear her afterwards if she ever tried. Her position was still too precarious to allow that to happen so she would have to continue to feed covertly until circumstances suggested otherwise. _I’ll have to_ _settle for the pork,_ she thought to herself glumly; its flavor was the closest to what she truly craved at the moment.

That didn’t put a damper on her mood though because she spotted Sy-klone sitting with some of the other Masters on the near side of the hall. "Hello Sy-klone. Man-E. Stratos," she greeted, trying to pronounce their names in the same manner as Mekaneck had taught her.

"Uh… hello," replied Stratos with his smooth brogue. He was initially caught off guard by the girl’s sudden speech and her new eyes as she squeezed herself between him and Sy-klone, but didn’t let it faze him for longer than a moment. The leader of Avion noticed Mekaneck looked upset about having to sit across the table instead of by the girl’s side. Stratos appreciated the girl’s beauty but wasn’t as attracted as most of the other men seemed to be. _True, but I leave and see my own women all the time_ , he thought in defense of the other men. He was not unaware of their plight. "I apologize for being ill-informed, but I still do not know your name.”

"It is Zahhk’se Zhria, which contains sounds that I do not believe you have in your English. Translated to your language it is like Dragon's Trikiss. Mekaneck has suggested Tris, since it is much easier to say. I favor it as well."

"Tris. So how have you been getting along? Do you have everything you need?" asked Man-E.

"I am not sure of the meaning of ‘getting along’.”

“It means how are you faring with the newness of all of this?”

“I am… getting along well. Mekaneck has been escorting me everywhere and has explained a great deal of things to me."

"Has he now?" asked Stratos slyly. "Well maybe more of us should lend a helping hand to your… education." The men all heard the double entendre in his words and looked for Mekaneck’s reaction. The Master in question was trying to look passive, but was obviously possessive of the girl already.

"That would be most welcome. I am interested in learning all that I am able. I have many questions."

“Well, ask us now,” said Man-E.

“Feeding time is an appropriate time for conversation?” she asked truly in confusion.

“Meal time is the best time for conversation especially with such a beautiful woman gracing us with her presence,” he replied clearly with interest.                                

“You flatter me. Well, I wish to know how many different intellectual species there are.”

“Too many to count. Why would you want to know that?”

“It is just surprising. There were very few around during my time.”

“And when exactly was your time?” interjected Mekaneck.

“I am not certain. We considered the passing of time differently than these years you have, but it was a very long time ago.” Tris truncated her explanations because she was not exactly sure what to reveal yet. She needed to know more of their intentions and of how trustworthy they were before divulging information that could possibly be used against her in some unforeseen manner.

It was at that point that she chose to steer the conversation in a different direction for two reasons: 1) so that the focus would be taken off her own history and 2) because she yearned to talk to Sy-klone and as such, now seemed like the perfect opportunity. "Sy-klone, you are very quiet." He turned towards her with a neutral expression, but did not say anything. She defaulted by looking back to Mekaneck in her confusion because he was familiar.

"Sy-klone doesn't speak much to anyone. Do not take it personally," replied Stratos.

Looking back at him, she tried again, "I have heard that you like chess. I want to try this game of strategy."

This time his answer was a quiet smile and he replied, "I would be happy to play with you."

"Wouldn't we all," said Mekaneck quietly, and all of the men within earshot started to laugh; only Tris and Sy-klone had not the faintest idea why.

* * *

Two days and three games later, Sy-klone had been bested every time. They were sitting at a makeshift table in the courtyard to play the game because he had worried the life-sized electronic arena may have overwhelmed her. "Impressive. Only two days previously was the time at which you learned to play?"

"Yes. I read about it in one of the books and Mekaneck taught me the directives. It was common in my time for all younglings to… um …learn really well? To… perfect? What is the common tongue? To perfect skills in strategy?”

“To master skills in strategy?"

“Yes.”

 _I shall need to inform Man-at-Arms of_ _this,_ the wind master thought. "Your skills outweigh my own. You should engage Man-E-Robot; he is superior." At that moment, his belt started to beep in warning of an upcoming meeting, which he noticed intrigued her. "Man-at-Arms has established a meeting. I must go. I will inform guards of the need to watch over you until the Masters return."

Sy-klone left her quickly in a whirl of wind. She saw him, far across the courtyard, briefly speak with two guards, and then he was gone again. _Amazing_. To have power over the elements had been a gift only the strongest sorcerers had possessed in her time. _And me, but that was different._ In her case it was a genetic misstep and freak inheritance, not a respectable show of power.

Two guards showed up shortly thereafter and explained that it was better if they escorted her back to her room at the present time. Apparently this meeting was very important and in her curiosity, the girl asked one of her guards what was happening. "The Masters have received information about a stone that possesses great power. They must get it before Skeletor does."

“A stone?” she asked trying to sound nonchalant. Tris was hoping to possibly gain some information about the other four stones that were also invoked and sealed when she had been locked away. They contained items of insurmountable value to her and she needed to find them before her full magic could return and her body complete.  

“Some sort of mystical emerald.”

Disappointing to hear if the information was accurate; she did not possess any green stones so it was most definitely not one of her own. Refocusing, she queried about another topic of interest, "Skeletor? I have not heard the name before."

"He is an evil sorcerer who wishes to rule all of Eternia. I am forbidden from speaking anything more about him to you, but you may ask the Masters more when they return." They took her back to the room that was starting to feel like a really nice cell and left her to her thoughts. "We will be outside the door should you need anything," was the parting statement.

_Interesting that someone does not want me to know about this Skeletor._

_Man-at-Arms most likely._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like all the added dialogue and the difference in her as she becomes accustomed to our language and behaviors.
> 
> Tazllolian  
> -se is added to the end of words to show plurality just as –s is in English. –‘se shows possession. 
> 
> Listed in Order of Appearance:  
> Zahhk’se Zhria-Her name. Roughly translated to Dragon’s Trikiss  
> Mmdarn-mother  
> Tazllol-Tris’ species


	4. Innuendo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter WARNING-language, sexual banter, non-explicit sex
> 
> Beta-ed by the most amazing beta ever. I have many thanks to give Churnok for his most splendid advice.

Eventually, the guards informed her that Man-at-Arms had called in an all clear and that she was now free to move about if she desired, fully supervised of course. She happily agreed because any excuse to get out was a welcome relief, unwanted company or not.

She spent her time perusing the palace slowly making her way toward the outer meeting area where the Masters would return to after their mission. Tris had always had a passion for learning and there was much knowledge to be had in this foreign place. She hung on the periphery of the public space so that she could observe things in their natural element. Her senses, lessened though they were, picked up on so much and she took it all in: the commoners rushing to and fro, animals calling out in the distance, the wind rushing against her skin and bringing the pheromones of the guards with it. Each new sensation allowed her to learn more and more until something struck her suddenly.

Above it all was the heady and exhilarating taste of sex drifting out of a closed room three doors down from her current position. The knowledge of what was conspiring behind that door drew her in, and the closer she got the more she could feel. It was a young male and female pair, each pouring off fumes of desire and ecstasy as their bodies slammed together. Her other senses were overwhelmed in urgency as her body thrummed with need, the need to feed, and on such vital, naïve prey. Almost upon the door she could feel their mingled energies, her own aura sliding along and pulling them inside to be savored. Her hand brushed the door in a caress and she leaned against it eager to feel even more of what was on the other side. Her reverie was cut short though by a voice prompting her, “Are you okay?”

A deep yearning and frustration filled her as she recognized the fact that she could not have what she wanted in that moment. Closing her eyes and calming her hunger she turned toward the guards following behind, “Quite. I just wished to feel something for a moment.” They exchanged a look that suggested her explanation was strange to them but she cared not. Instead Tris continued on toward the meeting place almost regretting not joining the couple, but certain that she had made the right decision.

It was only a little while longer before the Masters finally returned, and Tris could immediately tell something was wrong with Man-E. He was standing apart from the others, face downturned in obvious shame, and he looked so downtrodden that it was painful for her to see that look on someone she had quickly come to like. The girl had a flash of shame herself because Buzz-off was among those assembled, and she all but forgot about Man-E’s emotional state after that. The andreenid leader seemed to be apologizing to Man-E for something he had said by his stance and tone of voice though she could not hear the actual words.

Buzz-off glanced her way as she moved toward them, and his body language immediately turned from apologetic to uncomfortable. The change was so abrupt that it could be due to none other than her appearance, and that caused her to pause her advance. He stared at her and she cocked her head to the side staring right back so very curious as to what he was thinking. His face did not show anger or disgust like she had seen so many times before from possible suitors, but confusion and remorse that was most unusual.

When Tris made to start forward again, he immediately tensed and she could tell he was about to leave when Man-at-Arms came toward the small group. The older man seemed to have a purpose so she decided not to intrude on a discussion that they would most likely try to hide from her anyways. Whatever was being said was out of her hearing range and she had a pang of sadness at the painful reminder of her current loss. _If I had found my stones then they would be here and I would be able to hear perfectly._

Thinking about it would only make her ache and that wasn’t what she wanted at the moment so she tried to put it out of her mind. Glancing back at the group showed them all departing together, the urgency evident in their haste. She sighed heavily with the thought, _I do not belong. Always, I am on the outside staring in._

With no one left to make her feel welcome and nothing left to distract her, think about her loss was exactly what Tris did. There were a multitude of reasons why she needed to find her stones, but none more important than the fact that they helped push back the suffocating weight of loneliness that threatened to crush her heart. For so long, she had lived apart, the reticent half-breed that had no true home, and the only comfort she had ever received was from her cherished partners.

Without them, she ached. Without them, she was weak. And without them, she was alone.

* * *

His attempts to avoid the girl had been successful until this morning; thankfully, Man-at-Arms had whisked them away on another mission for she had meant to approach him. A long journey to the sands of fire in order to destroy the emerald was just what he had needed to take his mind off of her.Buzz-off could tell the other Masters knew what he was doing and frankly, he did not care even with their constant teasing. Becoming the butt of this continual joke was still better than losing control and possibly doing something he would regret with the strange female.

He had yet to personally spend any time with her, but the others spoke of her constantly during missions so he stayed informed, and that was enough for him. The entire flight had been an endless discussion of her body, her clothing, her behavior, and everything else, not to mention her own strange language. Apparently, the other masters had been asking her to teach them new words as an excuse to hear her voice with the uniquely sexual undertone the pronunciations required.

Buzz-off had tuned them all out and used the time to simply enjoy his flight, which unlike the rest of them, was done using his own wings, and nothing could have made him feel more relaxed. The serenity had stayed with him through the mission and up until now as he entered his room in the palace’s east tower through the open window.

He sprawled on the provided, and loathed bed, this mattress that the humans loved so much, pressing annoyingly against his wings or spines no matter his position. Inside the hive, he had a large cell in which the outer corner had been shaped to fit his body perfectly and aid his regular sleep cycle, unlike the erratic naps the younger andreenids took just about anywhere. As long as he didn’t sleep there for a multitude of consecutive days physically he would be fine. Nevertheless, sleep did not come easily and he had barely been in one position before he had to shift to another in a vain attempt to get comfortable.

He sighed audibly and tried to fall asleep, but that only caused his mind to wander where he did not wish for it to go. Unwanted thoughts of the girl came to the forefront and only confused him further. Buzz-off had never been interested in a female outside his own species before, but as he saw her standing there before him smiling excitedly, his insides burned with what he was coming to realize was desire. His wings flicked impatiently against his back, his claws flexed repetitively, and his groined itched with the need for him to release himself.

Arousal was not something he was accustomed to and he was even less sure of what to do with himself when it came to sex. The hive consisted of all drones save for a handful of infertile female successors and the queen. It was accepted that sex was unnecessary except for breeding purposes, so it was not had by any but the queen and her favored consorts. To avoid inbreeding she also picked an additional male to breed with each season, but that meant most males had only been with her once, if that. Buzz-off, for reasons he was not aware of, was not among her favorites, and therefore had already had his one and only time.

Still, he had never begrudged his lot in life and respected his queen in every way, so the urge to be with another had never come up. But now, his body reacted against his will whenever he saw the girl much to his dissatisfaction. Fighting his feelings for her had become a recurring and daunting task that he couldn’t explain nor could he seek advice about from any of those he normally would. The thoughts, the feelings, the… desire, it all worried at him incessantly, and he couldn’t understand why she made him feel this way.

The only solution to this problem was to keep avoiding her, _and that is not a solution at all._

* * *

 _Evil Warriors. Useless. Bounty Hunters. Useless. Everyone is fucking useless!_ Skeletor had momentarily deferred his attentions to the Emerald of Orcus Island and the bounty hunters, but both had proven ineffective methods to obtain the ultimate power. Though merging the two bickering bounty hunters, Twobar and Badroc, into a Siamese minion dubbed Two-Bad had provided Snake Mountain with a constant source of amusement.

Once again, he focused his attention on retrieving the girl, which had proven to be difficult as she was well guarded at all times. "Evil-lyn!" he growled loudly, amplifying his summons through the tunnels with magic. Not a moment later and the witch glided into the throne room, arrogance in every step.

"Yes, Lord Skeletor?"

"How do you propose we snatch this girl?" the mage said menacingly, her smug attitude infuriating him since he was unsure what it was about.

 _Oh, he is back on that lowly girl again._ Evil-lyn had been happy with the brief reprieve they had from his constant brooding, but now that seemed to be over. _I’m not jealous,_ she thought reflexively, and then hesitated about the truthfulness of that statement for a split second.The witch had been the one to end their relationship due to his new appearance, _and how insane he is now._ _Still, I do not like the power this girl seems to have over him._

In addition to their master, she had also noticed Tri-klops’ behavior was different lately. Whenever they managed to find the girl with one of the Doomseekers he did his best to ignore the projection. He also spent more time in his lab nowadays, if that was even possible. “Well?” questioned Skeletor.

Pulled out of her thoughts abruptly, Evil-lyn said the only thing she could think of, "We could try to get her to come to us willingly or somehow make her think they have turned against her?" It was always best to frame suggestions as a question; that way if Skeletor liked them he could make them his idea.

"Yes. That way they will do all the work for us and be none the wiser. How do you propose we do this?"

"Give me some time to come up with a plan, Lord Skeletor."

"You have a week." He emphasized his words with one of his infamous stares and told her to get out. _This plan might work. The girl is an unknown and it will be easier to gauge her abilities with no threat against us if she comes willingly._

Skeletor had to admit it was also more likely that he could have sex with her if she came willingly being that he had already made up his mind to do so. Though he would have to entice her somehow because he was not one to force a woman. He enjoyed seeing the fear in their eyes knowing they couldn’t stop him; it was the disgust at his now fleshless face that perturbed him. Before his accident, the mage had been able to have any woman he wanted using the slightest bit of charm, so force was unnecessary. Now, he was just a disfigured monster that did not arouse any woman including those he had already had.

 _Evil-lyn_.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Outside of the throne room, Evil-lyn walked through the tunnels of Snake Mountain deciding it best to get outside for a while. Her haughty attitude at Skeletor's failed attempt to replace her and the others with those two bounty hunters was gone. Now she was just aggravated at this entire situation.

_I've got no damn clue how to lure that wretched girl away._

* * *

Tris had been trying to find out more information about all that had happened during her imprisonment, but such information was limited. She could find no record of her people in all the books in the library and had only found writings about the recent history of Eternia. The timeline provided by the books had given her a good idea of her time inside the stone and it initially angered her. _I was imprisoned for over 2500 years when it was only supposed to be 100._

But who could she be angry with and was it really justified? Something had gone wrong, whether planned or accidental, but she was left forgotten while her people had moved on and eventually died out. Tris also had not heard anyone speak of the other stones, and that was what worried her the most. Finding them took precedence over everything else, but she didn’t even have a clue where to start on that front.

Staying here to gain some allies and picking them for information was the best plan for now, even though it left her feeling conflicted as though she wasn’t doing enough to find them. She was aggravated with her lack of knowledge concerning her missing property, but on the other hand the Masters were doing their best to include her more and more and that made her feel good. She did feel bad about not telling them her true intentions because they had been so kind, but this was absolutely something she could not reveal until they were in her possession again. _It will be easier for them to understand afterwards. If I try to tell them before, they will fear me._

Her most urgent problem now was that Man-at-Arms and Teela still did not trust her, and they were the most influential of the Masters. Their mistrust guided others and shaped every conversation she had such that no one would speak to her about anything other than what was in front of her face. _I must prove myself so they allow me more access to information I need._ Specifically, no one would speak of Skeletor with her. She had managed to gain the knowledge that he had been the one to steal her stone from an underwater cave to begin with, and that the Masters had only tried to thwart his plans, stumbling upon her by accident.

Anger, deep and pure, blazed at the realization that someone had tried to hide her away. So many things she didn’t know, but that was the only explanation to how she could have ended up in such a state. _Someone did not want me found. Treachery, but by whom is the real question?_ The next thought was equally depressing, _it doesn’t matter now. Everyone I knew is long dead._ She may never know what happened, and it really didn’t matter because she couldn’t change it.

Tris put it out of her mind for now, instead deciding to worry about finding the stones before her secrets were discovered.The need to feed left her exposed. She hadn’t left anymore dead bodies lying around since that first night, but those had not gone unnoticed. Just yesterday, she overheard Mekaneck speaking of a local who had come complaining of a vicious animal attack. Control she had now that she was not ravenous, but Tris could only feed from a distance for so long even with the amount of lust flowing to her. _I need a more complete feed to tie me over until I can find the twins and one of these Masters may have to do._

Unfortunately, the ones her body ached for were the two who seemed the least interested. _I think I’m being rejected._ It had never happened before except by others of her own race. She had actually been considered unattractive by her species standards; only being respected because of her ferocity on the battlefield and prowess in bed, but even then it was acknowledgement not acceptance. Tris had always prided herself at being more attractive to the males of other species than even the most beautiful women in her society. Never had she been rejected by anyone of a different species and that fact made her current situation difficult to admit. _There were only four intelligent species around in your own time though. Not much of a challenge._

Still, most of the men here lusted after her to some degree, even Buzz-off. Sy-klone seemed to just be unaware of his desires as opposed to not being attracted to her. He did not understand the innuendos the other males enjoyed joking about and was always preoccupied in his own head. Buzz-off, on the other hand, she knew was actively avoiding her. _I’ll have to ask Mekaneck about it._

She felt bad about Mekaneck because he was obviously attracted to her and she was in a way using him for information with no real intention of reciprocating his feelings. It was not deliberate on her part but he was just always there trying to please her. _Maybe I should just sleep with him._ It would be an easy meal, but he would expect more to happen between them afterwards that she wasn’t interested in.

Among the many other things Tris had learned during her stay, she had been educated quickly about humans’ sensibilities and their prudishness. They were not casual creatures. Sex was not something that you were supposed to talk about but in private. The only intimate touching allowed in public was between couples and only certain things were permitted such as light kissing. She also noticed that everyone was monogamous even when they were not married. It was all so very different from the life she had known. If she was going to sleep with any of them, it would have to be one that she could, ‘date’ was the common term, even if only for a little while.

She made her way outside sighing internally about the irony of a sexual creature such as herself winding up in a time where sex was almost taboo. Tris had never believed in deities before, but this cruel twist of fate almost made her reconsider. _Something to think about at the very least._ But pondering the implications of that would have to wait as she finally found the person she was looking for.

Mekaneck was out in the courtyard, sitting on the rock where the girl had first been released. The courtyard had been replanted and it was almost impossible to see where the stone had disrupted the earth. “Hi, Mekaneck,” she said with a coy smile. Tris had gotten used to flirting with him without it getting too serious, at least on her end. It probably wasn’t the best idea, but it came so naturally to her that she had to actively try not to flirt and that was more effort than it was worth.

“Hi, Tris. Have you got anything planned for today?” He was looking at her with appreciation, but his gaze was not as lust filled as it had been in the past. The girl silently applauded his efforts to restrain himself, though she missed the openness and honesty of before, now that she had been made aware that it was against the social code to openly show sexual interest in someone. Apparently, that had been why Buzz-off had reacted with such distress when she dropped to her knees in front of him.

 _Strange humans… and andreenid for that matter._ She didn’t understand why being truthful about who you lusted after was a bad thing unless you were already in a monogamous relationship. It wasted more time having to guess and you had to pay more attention to social cues than she wanted to bother with. Tris didn’t know how they did it; if she couldn’t feel their lust so readily then she would never have been able to identify which ones were interested. “No. No one allows me to venture anywhere and therefore I have nothing to do. It is not important. Mekaneck, I have a query?”

“Yes?” he said with a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Why has Buzz-off been avoiding me?” Instantly, his face fell with dejection. _He thought I was going to express feelings for him and instead I ask about another male._ Tris almost wished she could take the question back, but it was something she really did need to know.

Mekaneck seemed to grope for words and then explained, “It’s because you confuse him. You must understand that here we do not… um… pair up between different species. He is the leader of his people and is afraid that he will be disgraced by lusting after someone who is not andreenid.”

She considered his words for a moment and they seemed to make sense but, “I am the only member of my species left, but I do not believe the human males would deny me should I ask.”

“You’re probably right. I know it seems unfair but you resemble humans in a way. I mean I know you are obviously different, but you are anatomically similar to our females so most will view it as acceptable, but that is not the case between you and Buzz-off nor Sy-klone.” _So he noticed and he is not too shy to let me know._ The young warrior was jealous, which caused a little spark in her libido even though it wasn’t an emotion she was used to receiving from others. Jealousy was uncommon in her society unless you were already taken and coveted by someone else. Those instances were rare though.

Having her answer, she purred, “I do not believe that you are aware of what my anatomy consists.” Tris had really just wanted to flirt with him, but the reaction she received was a bonus. The sexual tension between them rose quickly and high enough that feeding was possible. The young vixen could only skim a little so as not to attract notice; she could not allow her eyes to change and give her away. _Unintentional, but I am glad it worked out as such. He tastes so good_ , she thought in pleasure letting his warm energy flow through her. _Maybe I should bed him._

“Um… I mean, I guess I really don’t. I shouldn’t have assumed that…” His words trailed off as her body moved up flush against the front of his. She trailed a hand up and down his chestplate languidly, turning her face upward after a moment.

He stared directly into her eyes and watched as they slowly bled from light blue to dark red, and then her lips moved in the barest of whispers, “Maybe you shall discover EXACTLY what I look like under my attire.” Her tongue flicked out across her lips and then she walked off, leaving him standing there with his mouth open.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mekaneck was unsure what had just happened but he definitely wasn’t complaining. He had been positive his attentions had gone unnoticed but now maybe not. Heat rose to his face as he realized he needed to get somewhere private and quickly. _Ugh… I need a cold shower._

* * *

Teela had been watching Tris closely for some time but had not seen any signs of foul play. She was trying to believe the girl was an ally but got the distinct feeling that she was hiding something. The young, female warrior noticed how the men reacted toward the other girl, and had originally thought maybe she was using magic to influence them. There was no evidence of this, however, so she decided then that maybe the men were all just stressed out and horny from being on duty every day. _I mean who could they possibly have been with since relocating to the palace? The only two who leave are Stratos and Buzz-off, and I doubt the proper ladies at court would entertain anyone such as the Masters._

Teela didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way they looked, but most of them were not prospects for dating. They were all great warriors because of their special attributes, but it had also made them less attractive in the eyes of other women. She had overheard some of the ladies laughing at advances they had turned down by Man-E and Mekaneck. From the stories it sounded as if sometimes the women had been downright cruel, which made her feel bad for them, but her attraction to them was strictly platonic.

She was surprised that Tris had not slept with any of the men since the girl seemed to enjoy the attention. _That was harsh. Maybe you are jealous._ Betrayed by her own mind, Teela admitted reluctantly, _I am… because of Adam._

Adam was not her boyfriend, but they had grown up together and were very close. He had also been attracted to the girl although she largely ignored his presence, so Teela thought maybe Tris was older than she appeared. After all, Adam was attractive and all the girls in the palace surrounded him most of the time. She did not know if he favored any of them, but none of them ever seemed like a threat to their relationship. This girl was different.

 _She didn’t care for He-man either._ Thinking back to that first day, the girl had passed by He-man like a fly on the wall, and, _He-man is definitely not insignificant. Maybe the whole blond hair, blue eyes thing just doesn’t appeal to her. But how can she not find him attractive?_ He was impressive with his huge frame and toned muscles, which rippled under his skin when he moved hinting at his unlimited potential. His movements were agile and his body flowed with a liquid grace that was uncanny for a man of his size. Teela sighed thinking about the man who must have been at least ten years older than her, _and… he too had stared at the girl._

* * *

Tri-klops sat in his lab and worked on his current project, a new Doomseeker that could see through objects, and thus less likely to be detected.It would take him a while to actually perfect because it was a tricky mechanism, but he didn’t mind working in his lab. He was not only a warrior, but a scientist and an inventor as well, which meant the lab was the only place that he felt comfortable besides the battlefield.  

He worked meticulously, content to be alone, but his solace was soon cut short when someone entered the lab. “Do not touch… **anything** ,” were the only words whoever it was received.

“Oh, Tri-klops. You are such a bore. When are you going to take your ass outside and get some air for once?” chastised Evil-lyn, knowing the foul language would get on the stoic warrior’s nerves.

“I have plenty of good air right here and do not wish to take my… self anywhere.” Tri-klops was annoyed with the witch popping in uninvited although he did often enjoy her company. She was the only intelligent one around with whom he could hold a decent conversation.

Evil-lyn had been surprised that Tri-klops had reacted so strongly to the girl since she had actually wondered for a long time if he had been made a eunuch sometime after the torture that had robbed him of his eyesight. The man did not react to any woman, ever. “Skeletor has suggested we get the girl to come to us willingly.”

“Yeah, how would we do that? And why do you bring this up to me?” The inventor did not see how this information was pertinent to him. She and their great leader always made the plans, which had not proven to be a very efficient arrangement as of late; since He-man had shown up, they had not managed to have a single victory.

“I was just wondering if you had any ideas.” Noticing that he was barely listening, she went with a more direct approach, “I saw your reaction to the girl. She makes you all hot and bothered, does she not?”

That got his attention real fast, and Tri-klops turned around in a controlled manner to face the witch. “No. Now get out.” _The woman doesn’t miss a thing._

“Come now, Tri-klops. I am merely suggesting you may be able to lure the girl away from the palace. Use some manly charm I know must be in that lovely body somewhere. She does seem to have a thing for… interesting looking men. Maybe your visor would turn her on or something.”

 _Interesting is not the word she was going to use,_ Tri-klops thought as he turned back around and started working again. He had been thinking the opposite; if they ever did meet in person, then his visor would be a turn off like it had been to everyone else. _For the best anyways. Women are nothing but a distraction._ “I doubt that lowly girl will be enticed by me; besides, there is no way to reach her. I am busy.”

Evil-lyn spun on her heals and headed for the door without another word. _Damn honorable swordsmen. He wants to fuck that girl and he knows it._ The witch threw her arms up in frustration and hissed when she saw Skeletor watching her. “Skeletor?” The name was spat out almost in anger.

“Do you presume to take your shortcomings out on me, dear Evil-lyn?” asked the mage with a slight, red glow in his empty sockets.

Recovering, she countered sweetly, “Whatever do you mean, my lord?”

“I mean your inability to entice our most noble Tri-klops to do what you want,” said Skeletor, bemused at her plight. He had often been annoyed with the tinkerer as well; it was one thing to have a few morals, and another to be opposed to something as insignificant as foul language. The man was too serious for his own good.

Evil-lyn smiled wickedly. “A mere setback and nothing more. I still have three days, do I not?”

“Yes, you do, and I’m dying to hear what you finally come up with,” he chimed walking away.

“Haven’t heard any useful plans from you either,” she whispered.

He spun around in an instant to find the woman already hiding behind a corner. “Oh, come now, Evil-lyn. I promised you a week and you shall have it. But I will be quite happy… even if you fail. Torture **always** lightens my mood,” and with that he was gone.

* * *

“Man-at-Arms, is there some way I can be of service? I have become bored and agitated remaining in my room for large portions of day hours,” Tris was pouting. It was unbecoming, but her people were always open about their emotional states and frustration was no different from any other emotion. Besides they all treated her like an item that needed protecting instead of someone who could help. _They think I’m useless. I’m too nice. Everyone misinterprets it as weakness._

Man-at-Arms thought it over and decided on something, “The storage shed on the far side of the courtyard needs to be cleaned and organized. It has not been occupied in some time, but I am planning to use it for battle simulations soon. I have decided that if you stay here you should probably be trained to defend yourself.” He wanted to assess the girl’s fighting skills after what Sy-klone had told him. The brief statement led him to believe her society may have been made up of warriors and if so, there was a good chance that she could be an asset. He also worried that Skeletor would try to kidnap her if the sorcerer discovered that she had been produced from the stone.

 _Finally. They may even let me go out on missions with them if I do this right._ It would take all her willpower to fight without feeding but she longed for combat. Battle had always been the one time when her skills were superior to all others’. “Thank you, Man-at-Arms,” and then she was off.

Tris heard him yell, “Take some guards with you,” but she was already streaking away at a lightning fast pace toward the storage shed.

The building looked old from afar but it was far from decrepit. Opening the door revealed that the space inside consisted of one huge open room that contained tables, boxes, shelves, and other miscellaneous things splayed out all over the floor. She was going to be preoccupied for some time and that was perfect.

Getting to work immediately, her magic was first used to move the shelves up against the walls so the middle of the room was clear of anything too large. Next she found some old towels and started to wipe the shelves down manually. Her magic would be much more convenient, but the work would be over too quickly and her muscles ached to be used. It was also a bad idea to waste unnecessary energy on something that could be done by hand, so she scrubbed and rinsed and polished, working continually while all her temporary worries fell away.

So engrossed in her task, however, she didn’t notice the Doomseeker that had followed her into the room and was now silently hovering in a corner.

* * *

Tri-klops saw the girl rushing across the courtyard, moving faster than any human ever could. “Skeletor, the girl is heading toward the storage shed that is a bit secluded from the rest of the palace grounds. She is alone.”

Skeletor turned at the swordsmen’s words and studied the projection. The girl seemed happy about whatever task she was about to undertake evidenced by the fierce smile she wore. The shelves in the middle of the room started to move toward the periphery by use of her magic, which made it appear as if she was organizing the room. _A female who enjoys cleaning, I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it._ He watched a little while longer as she began to wipe down anything within reach and it seemed as though no guards were going to join her. “Evil-lyn, take whoever you need and go. This may be our only chance to retrieve her.”

“The insect just walked up,” Tri-klops stated, knowing he risked bringing undo anger upon himself.

“Argh,” he growled in frustration, “those wretched Masters are always getting in the way.” Skeletor slumped back on his throne and watched the projection hoping the insect would leave and no other guards would take his place.

Evil-lyn, however, was thinking they might be able to use this situation to their advantage. If they could catch them doing something naughty, they could cause a rift between her and the Masters for sure. The andreenid’s avoidance of the girl even when other Masters were present had not escaped her notice. _I bet he won’t be able to control himself now that they are alone._ “Tri-klops, start recording. We do not want to miss any of this.” The swordsmen looked at her in question and then turned to Skeletor.

He nodded slightly to his waiting third-in-command. “Would you mind clueing me in on your thoughts, dear Evil-lyn?” He was ready to punish her for giving one of his subordinates a direct order right in front of him if this explanation wasn’t damn good.

“I believe we are about to get a show boys!” she exclaimed and her face said something nefarious was about to happen. The overlord was unclear about what that comment meant, but turned back to see the insect approaching the girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you guys enjoyed the more in depth view of the Andreenids lifestyle (with more to come). I have done a lot of research on real life beehive mechanics, but I am trying to stay canon as well. There are some contradictions between the two, but I think it worked out okay.
> 
> Yes, I did adjust her speech so it was more rigid as she is still new to our language.


	5. A Taste of Ambrosia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. In redoing this chapter I decided that there were inconsistencies in Tris and Buzz-off’s behavior. I also thought that there should be a larger difference between their anatomies from humans as well. So this got a little weirder but I feel like it is more realistic given the situation I have set up.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Interspecies sex m/f, size kink, voyeurism

Buzz-off was soaring over the palace grounds, finally back from his much needed trip to Andreenos. He had a small sack of ambrosia attached to his belt, which he had started wearing lately to give him an edge in battle. It had never been necessary before, but Skeletor’s minions had proven themselves crafty enough lately to take down some of the Masters more than once. Whenever he visited Andreenos he made sure to replenish his supply before returning to Eternos.

His keen eyes searched the ground below him, an unconscious habit from his many years of flight; it would not do to be caught off guard mid-flight and fall to his death. Ever observant, he saw that the storage shed was open as he flew over the courtyard, which was strange since it never got used. Landing a couple meters away as gently as possible, he made his way to the shed quietly in case someone was inside and looked through the doorway.

One foot on a chair, the new female was stretching as far as she could to dust some of the upper shelves of a bookcase. The muscles of her arms and stomach were taught under her glowing skin and the exposed flesh glistened just barely with the force of her exertions in the warm afternoon. He could not help but think of what it would feel like to have her soft, warm body pressed up against his, and the sudden visual pulled a sound from low in his throat. Her gaze landed on him obviously attracted by the noise, and placing both feet firmly on the ground she turned toward him. Different emotions played across her face, each one fleeting as she scrutinized him, and finally she ended on uncertainty.

Buzz-off knew he was in trouble. No one was going to come looking for them because there were no guards watching her and he was not expected until later. Fighting his desires for a while now, he had ended up avoiding the girl just to keep himself in check. Now she was staring at him hesitantly and she looked like… small, enticing prey. A low trill escaped him as he started moving toward her, but she took a step backwards, and he stopped his advance perplexed at her reaction. _Maybe I have misjudged her intentions._

 _Why am I so indecisive?_ Tris had lain with many men; having sex was as natural as breathing to her kind, but now… she was inexplicably lost. _He doesn’t really want this._ Casual sex was not a problem for her, on the contrary, it was desired, but his views were different. Not only was the sex inappropriate by this society’s standards, but even desire between their drastically different forms was as well. _Do I care?_ It was hard to tell. If they did this, he would be unpredictable and most likely angry afterward because as much as the andreenid wanted her, Buzz-off valued his people’s respect more.

That, was something she understood very well. Being the leader of an entire race came with an unbelievable amount of pressure and sacrifice in addition to the hope that you would never disappoint them.

Still, she needed the food. She was so hungry, starving even, and her entire being ached for him. This was who she was, this was her people’s way, her way. It was not her fault that she should end up in such a time, but there was nothing to be done about it now, and she must do whatever it took to survive. _Does that justify hurting him, possibly even ruining his life, if something goes wrong? No. Not when I could find someone else, someone that would make this less complicated, like Mekaneck._ Lost deep in thought, her eyes trained on the floor and not on the man in front of her, she missed the change in his body language signaling his own intent.

Buzz-off had made his decision. _I want her,_ he thought as he moved in close, and nothing could stop him. The pull was so strong, which caused him to wonder why for the thousandth time. Leaning in close to her face, the question that had been plaguing him since they had met was finally answered.

She smelled like an andreenid.

 _But that’s not possible._ He sniffed again and another scent was present, one of embers and smoke like a dragon with a hint of orchids, but there was definitely the smell of Andreenos. Her aroma alone was almost enough to seduce him, but mixing it with the scent of his people enhanced his infatuation with her two-fold. His antennae twitched as they took in the scent of a female in heat, and his mind screamed at him, _take her and claim her now!_ “Buzz-off, I don…” and that was it. His name whispered out lowly through those full lips was finally more than he could bear. He grabbed her wrists in one smooth motion pinning them harshly to the wall above her head and laid his mouth against hers.

All protests died in her throat when his lips met hers for the first time. _I want this_. Giving up hope when Mekaneck explained the issue separating them, the fire that had appeared the first time they met was rekindled. The insect-like warrior almost sobbed into the kiss as if it was everything he wanted but knew he shouldn’t have. Tris thought he would pull back after that, but his mouth became more urgent against hers. His jaw worked furiously and he ran his tongue against her lips begging to be let inside. She opened eagerly, arching into his body to feel his hard flesh rub against her own.

He released one of her wrists and placed his hand against the side of her neck, his long claws wrapping around the back to hold her steady. The unusual shape colored the feeling of it against her skin, the many segments rough as the edges scraped against her and the three digits deadly sharp. His thumb caressed her cheek while he explored every inch of her mouth with his long tongue. Tris found she really liked his unique appendage, and leaned into him even more desperate for the contact. _He is a great kisser,_ she thought hazily.

His aura was surrounding her own, parts of it being sucked away as the two energies slid across one another unbeknownst to him. It had been so long, so long, but as much as she wanted to just lose herself in the moment she couldn’t. She would have to be very controlled during this coupling or her body’s normal feeding signs would give her away. It wasn’t going to be easy though as she finally realized how ravenous she was from her lack of food. _Focus on Buzz-off, focus on the sex, not on the hunger. You can do this._

Buzz-off was beside himself with need. He was not sure how to proceed from here, but he just couldn’t stop kissing her because she tasted so good. She kept leaning into him, pressing her full chest against his own, and he took it as a sign that this was going well.

Reluctantly, he left her mouth to explore her neck and collarbone, trailing small kisses and lightly dragging his sharp teeth across the sumptuous skin. He had the urge to rub his cheek against hers, marking the girl with his own scent. The smell of Andreenos was already coming from her, but his desire was for her to smell like him; he wanted to claim her as his own. An animalistic possessiveness came over him when he recognized in that moment she wanted him and him alone. It caused him to grasp more tightly at her bound wrist as he pressed his body more fully into hers, and consequently, the wall.

The small noises at that and their mingling scents were enough to push him through the last of his lingering doubts. He dropped back and used one of his peripheral curved back spines to slice upwards through the clothes obscuring the body underneath. Her gloves and the undergarment covering her below were ripped away with as much zeal until she was left standing in front of him in nothing but her boots. He had never been remotely attracted to anything resembling the human body before, but for whatever reason she just looked… _perfect._

The ferocity in which he shredded all of her clothes was more than exhilarating. Her body was left tingling in the afternoon air and she stood still allowing him to take in everything. His eyes were roaming her body, examining every inch with a hungry look that stoked the fire within her. Once again she thought about how wonderfully different those eyes were from anyone else’s, and the piercing gaze he had right now caused her lower body to tighten in arousal. An audible breath alongside her small smirk brought his eyes back up to her face, and he closed the small distance between them in one swift movement.

Buzz-off could think of nothing but crushing her body to his and burying himself inside her. He grabbed her thighs and picked her up amazed by how light she was even with how small her frame was. Her body molded to the front of his like it belonged there, and the girl eagerly started kissing him again. He knew he could hold her up all day, but being inexperienced he didn’t think standing up was going to be the easiest position to start out with. Instead, he continued to kiss her, began looking for an appropriately sized table, and released himself to relieve the pressure building in his groin.

The man was moving around but she was too busy trying to press every inch of skin she possessed up against him to care, and that’s when she felt him. What could only be his manhood had somehow emerged from his body and was now pressed up against her butt. She moaned into his mouth and arched her hips trying to slide him inside of her, but he wouldn’t allow it.

Almost tripping over his own clawed feet, Buzz-off managed to hold the willing female off of him. A smile and a glimmer of his usual confidence returned with the thought, _she’s_ _so eager._ Her frustrated growl assaulted his ears and he smirked into the kiss again. When he finally found a table that was the right height, he put her down gently, ready to take her but she had other plans. She rose up to look at his manhood and his smile instantly faltered at her reaction, the expressions not conveying anything good to him.

Tris noticed that he was for the most part the same as other men she had had. The shape was similar and the coloring followed the banding on his chest with small circles littering the flesh. The difference was that he seemed to be segmented like the rest of his exoskeleton and halfway down the shaft, three flexible spines protruded and ran upward parallel to the length. She was intrigued by the additions wondering about their intended function and what they would feel like as they rubbed along her flesh.

Probably misinterpreting her look for apprehension, Buzz-off started to draw away. Tris grasped him firmly, marveling at how soft he was here compared to the rest of his body, and she received a hiss of pleasure from him much to her satisfaction. She stroked up the shaft tugging him lightly in a gesture that clearly meant ‘come here’, and then transferred her gaze to his face with a purr, “Please,” that was not a question.

 _I am unimpressive,_ had been his initial thought, but after she grabbed him her face reflected nothing but desire and he knew that she wanted him. Staring at her small hands, which felt so good wrapped around him, he realized that it was the first time he had ever been held by a female in such a manner before. She was definitely not shy about what she wanted not that he had ever thought otherwise given the direction of their first encounter.

After she laid back he grasped her thighs and pulled her to him pausing before touching her any further. “I’ve not…” but her eyes were all for him and the sentence just wouldn’t come out. He entered her slowly remembering what his queen had told him about how a female’s body worked. A moment of panic hit him with the thought, _what if it doesn’t work the same for her?_

“Uh…” she hissed trying to relax. Although she was getting wet and definitely wanted it, her body had not been penetrated in so long and was fighting the intrusion. There had not been enough foreplay between them, his size and spines mixed with her tightness making the stretch painful. Even though he was trying to be a gentleman it still hurt, and she winced as the spines scratched along the silky, inner flesh. She bucked against him as he pushed deeper inside of her until finally burying himself to the hilt. For a second she was wondering if the spines were going to be a problem but they seemed to shift somewhat, feeling as though the pointed tips were angling themselves away from her body. It was a strange sensation but when her eyes opened to find his face lost in rapture, her excitement overrode everything else. She writhed around him and raised her hips up inviting more, desperate for him to take her despite the possible damage.

Buzz-off started drawing himself out appreciating how her body tried to hold onto him. When only the very tip was left inside he paused for a moment, and then worked back in again still moving unbearably slow. It was easier this time and he felt a strange sense of satisfaction when she moaned. _For me._ That carnal sound stripped him of his patience. The next time he drew out, he grasped her thighs more tightly, and slammed himself inside her. She cried out, looking up at him in surprise and undeniably… pleasure.

He thrust himself inside over and over again with wild abandon, those long spines rubbing against her sensitive body in a much more pleasurable manner than before. Tris knew now what he was going to say, _he is inexperienced_. There was no undulation to his thrusts, no rhythm other than slamming himself inside her as fast and hard as he could. She had a passing thought that next time she would show him how it was done, but this time, right now, it just didn’t matter. His size and spines allowed him to rub against her sensitive area without knowing how to angle himself. That in addition to his power and ferocity combined with her overwhelming attraction to him made up for his lack of skill.

His body pounded into hers again and again, and she moaned in appreciation, “Yes, Buzz-off. Yessss!” That delicious pressure was building, but there was no time to reach her climax. Within two more thrusts he buried himself and exploded inside her with a grunt. He leaned forward to look at her briefly bending her body in half pleasantly, and then drew himself out causing her to writhe again. Tris could not hold back disappointment at her lack of release, but one glimpse showed that he stood long and proud ready for more. _Oh yes._

Unlike his first time, for reasons unknown to him, Buzz-off was not finished with his climax. This was a blessing since he was pretty sure she hadn’t finished either. He picked her up again, carrying her over to an empty space of wall and setting her down facing away from him. She placed her hands against the wall, pushing her ass out obviously ready to be taken again, but he paused when he noticed his belt lying on the floor. Not knowing what possessed him, he picked up the sack and removed the ambrosia an idea forming even though he was risking rejection and possible disgust from his partner.

Tris turned to find out why he wasn’t touching her anymore and eyed the small golden thing in his hand suspiciously. He looked a question at her that she could not decipher. “What is it?”

“Ambrosia.” Tris had read about ambrosia in one of the books from the library about the andreenids. It was a special food created by Buzz-off’s people, which gave them extra strength and vigor amongst other things. Physically it made them larger and their spines more lengthy and dangerous.

She understood what his question was and debated it. There was no way to know how it would affect him and how dangerous it would be for her considering the spines he already possessed had momentarily hurt her. Tazllolse were supposedly equipped to deal with differences in the genitalia of other species given how often they lay with others, but she was unsure what that actually meant. Besides, she had never come across anything endowed like him before.

Staring at his beautiful eyes over her shoulder the internal debate did not last but a few seconds because there was only one answer, “Yes.” His face showed surprise but also a renewed hunger as he lifted the food toward his mouth. “Wait. Be inside me first. I want to feel it as you grow.”

Buzz-off couldn’t help the clenching in his groin or the internal groan at her words. “You should get something to stand on,” he replied trying to control his voice.

“How big are you going to become?”

“Big enough.” Her eyes darkened with arousal, and Tris could barely contain her excitement at the idea. She was relatively small compared to most of her partners, but there was just something about being pounded by a man so much larger than herself that really turned her on.

There was a small crate not too far away that was sturdy and would hold her weight easily. His hands grasped her hips and he slowly pushed inside her burying himself completely once again. She was not as tight as before but the sensation still brought a groan from them both. Tris closed her eyes tightly when he started to stretch her, the body pressed against her back now dwarfing her. “Oh… fuck, fuck.” He had been good sized before but now he was just… huge, and there were more spines along the outside pointing straight out from the shaft. They were tiny, blunt, and definitely not hurting her, instead they rubbed against her eliciting another groan at the unique pleasure. The other spines grew proportionally to the length but didn’t seem to pose any new threat.

Buzz-off never dreamed she would allow such a thing, and was surprised when her body was able to accommodate his new girth. He had heard stories of other males doing this with their queen and they had barely fit before beginning to hurt her. _They were probably bigger than I am._ Feeling her wetness and that her body was not as tight as when they had begun, he made the mistake of pulling out and slamming into her as before. His new length was too much for her small body, so before he could finish his thrust his head crashed into the end of her with bone-crushing force, and the scream that was torn from her held no pleasure in it.

“Stop. Please. Stop,” she whimpered. “Buzz-off, slowly… I must adjust. Not so rough, I cannot… not yet.” He was almost twice her size now, which added to the enjoyment of the situation, but his strength had also increased. She was hurt, but the extent of which was still unknown. Tris sent a thread of searching energy throughout her groin evaluating the damage and finding bruising but nothing else. _I haven’t torn anything, thankfully._ His thrust had almost been savage, and he had bumped against her secondary ring. Without being in her completed form she couldn’t open it to allow him access, and he would continue to ram into it, which was far less enjoyable than penetration.

Shame bubbled up inside of him at her pain. He wrapped an arm around her stomach, pulling her back against him and off the crate. She displayed a good bit of flexibility as she turned to look at him, her hand snaking up to hold him behind the neck, and he lowered his head to give her an apologetic kiss. Realizing it also stood as a worthy distraction, he lifted her right thigh to him and began moving in and out slowly hoping that no damage had been done. Her face contorted in pain and she let out another small whimper. Kissing her more thoroughly, he tried to ignore his own pleasure and focus on hers.

Buzz-off moved his hand upward for a better grip and felt a flinch when he grazed her nipple. Forgetting that his own females were sensitive here, he should have expected that she might be too. Rubbing the nipple caused her to groan into his mouth and kiss him harder. He lowered his head as far as he could and flicked his lengthy tongue out across her other nipple. It was just long enough and her breathing skipped, fingers digging into his skin. He played with both breasts as best he could liking the noises he was getting from her, all the while moving her up and down upon himself. _She is so tiny,_ he thought feeling protective all of a sudden.

When ready, she drew away from him and leaned herself up against the wall, eyes closed and breaths shallow. He grasped her hips and when he thrust into her this time she cried out again even though it was not as rough. He paused but instead she begged, “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.” Her hips pushed against his trying to get him moving again when he caught her rhythm thrusting inside her with more restraint than before. With each thrust she gasped, each withdrawal her body tightened around him not wanting to let him go. He bumped into the back of her over and over but much more gently than before. She felt so tight and hot around him that he groaned in turn, straining to keep his calm composure. When he touched a certain spot, her breathing quickened and she moaned, “Oh, fuck yes,” so he shifted himself to pass over that spot with every thrust.

Almost the entirety of his shaft and all of the spines close enough started to rub up against that perfect spot. _Fast learner._ She felt her body change from a slow build up to rushing toward her orgasm. _Damn. He feels amazing._ Her body tightened around him and a well-needed release finally took her. She cried out as it flitted through her, the pleasure and the power singing along every nerve fiber. Her hands clawed at the wall, at anything within reach in desperation from the almost unbearable sensations. His rhythm remained steady throughout all of her shuddering, and she moaned in unadulterated pleasure, slowly coming down from her wonderful high.

Time passed slowly as he moved inside her and it felt like an eternity before the cadence created by their bodies finally faltered. He began to move faster and harder, once again pounding into her uncontrolled, eliciting more pleasure/pain surges throughout her body as his ferocity increased. Tris no longer moved happy to allow him to work while she reveled in the feeling of the thick appendage moving inside of her.

Eventually the continually beating she was taking began to wear her body down as the bruising became progressively worse. The surges became more pain than pleasure, so she finally allowed herself to feed in an attempt to stimulate her body again. It worked, her pain receptors shut down, and the pleasure intensified as his energy was drawn down his shaft and into her. Her eyes bled to red and blazed to life, but her face being pressed into the wall hid them from view and she was safe.

Another orgasm began to build and this time she could feel that he was close as well. The last thrust brought them both, and Buzz-off crushed her back against his chest. They groaned and rutted against each other as the waves of pleasure rolled over them, the blissful sensations feeling as though they would never end. Each throb coated her insides with an intense heat that made her shudder against him, his arms firmly around her waist and upper body.

When they were done and only a few twitches remained, Buzz-off gently lowered them both to the floor still deep inside her. They were both relearning how to breathe, but he was happy to let the time pass, not ready to face what they had just done yet. She didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move at the moment either.

As his breathing normalized, he pulled out and found himself to be surprisingly clean for finishing inside her twice. Buzz-off had no idea what to make of that, but he couldn’t think about it right now as the reality of the situation began to truly sink in.“I must go report in. Man-at-Arms will be expecting me soon.” Picking up his sack, he reverted to his normal stature, and walked out without another word.

 _Just as I feared_. Tris couldn’t be unhappy after the pleasure she had just received but did wonder about the consequences. Whatever the outcome, she would deal with it, but for right now she relaxed against the wall and allowed her body to fuel and repair itself. After his first release, it had tried to absorb his seed, but that would have caused her eyes to change so she couldn’t allow it. The more feral part of her mind finally began to relax when she started to feed during the sex. Now, she was also greedily consuming every bit of his essence converting it into useable energy in the process. It was a shame so much of it would be wasted without her support because it was truly an impressive amount of energy.

_No matter. I will do what I must for now. I will find them._

Reforming her clothes, she began cleaning again never picking up on the Doomseeker in the corner that had caught the whole thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…I don’t really know what to say about this. Well...he’s a giant insect. Deal with it. I do what I want.
> 
> Tazllolian  
> -se is added to the end of words to show plurality just as –s is in English.
> 
> Listed in Order of Appearance:  
> Tazllol-Tris’ species


	6. Undeserved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want you all to know that I work really, really hard to edit my stories and make sure everything is perfect for you guys. It never will be and there will always be mistakes, but I try so as always please let me know if you find any mistakes. I will fix them immediately. 
> 
> Chapter WARNING-None

Evil-lyn had been correct to assume that the andreenid would be unable to control himself given the perfect opportunity to have the girl. She had been impressed by the show, intrigued by the creative use of Ambrosia, and slightly turned on. It was mild in her case, but she noticed that all of the men except for Skeletor were trying to hide or defuse the evidence of their arousal. The most surprising reaction of all was from Tri-klops, who had turned away from the rest of the room and appeared to be taking deep, calming breaths. _We can definitely use this._

“As much as I have enjoyed the past hour, Evil-lyn, this still gets us nothing. Buzz-off sent guards down to watch her after they were done so we cannot even try to kidnap her now.” Skeletor was hesitant to admit that he had enjoyed watching the girl and insect perform. He had never been much of a voyeur before, preferring to participate or have nothing to do with it, but it had brought his manhood to attention in the most delightful of ways. Only now he had no way to come to release but to do it himself, and that was not an option he even entertained. Instead he had used his magic to distort the field of reality around his groin so it appeared as if he had been unaffected to the others, and let his erection wane on its own while he focused on the situation at hand.

“Skeletor, we can use this recording to publically shame them both by sending it to the Masters and to Andreenos. Buzz-off will surely take his anger and embarrassment out on the girl and I’m sure the Masters will not appreciate such a distraction in times of war, especially Man-at-Arms. I doubt they will make her leave but most will treat her like a pariah. After that we swoop in, play nice, and entice her to our side.”

“Why, Dear Evil-lyn, you have been thinking this through, haven’t you?” He fell silent for a few moments considering the plan that she had proposed and whether or not it was likely to succeed. It wasn’t the best plan but so far it was the only thing either of them had come up with, and Buzz-off was likely to be ashamed enough to react as Evil-lyn predicted. The question now was whether or not the girl would really be affected by the situation since this plan assumed that she would react like someone from their time, which she was not. ”Tri-klops, is there a way that we can send the transmission so that they cannot shut it down?”

“Sure. I can send it with a virus that…”

And that was all he needed to know. “Do it.” Seeing that for the dismissal that it was all of the Evil Warriors walked out each one glancing back at the projection one last time except for the inventor. Right before he was out the door he typed in something on his gauntlet and the screen went black.

Skeletor turned his attention to the one warrior who had decided to defy his order in that moment. “Is there something you… want, Evil-lyn?” he asked noticing that she was staring in the general area of his groin and the look was eloquent.

For a brief moment the older woman felt… something and then it was gone before she could determine what that something was. Returning her attention to his face she considered the possibilities in passing before, “No, my lord,” and walked out with a sway of hips.

* * *

In his lab, Tri-klops was considering everything that had transpired in the last few hours. The first time the girl had moaned so wantonly the battle with his own manhood was momentarily lost. He had been able to bring himself under control, but it had taken great effort. In his mind he was disgusted at what he had just witnessed, but his body was fervently calling him a liar.

“Hey, Tri-klops. What did you think of that? Hot chick and the bug man. Freaky right? I mean did you see those spines?” Trap-jaw exclaimed for he had definitely enjoyed the show. He wished it had not been the andreenid because that had been weird, but he was not averse to watching guy on girl action.

Frankly, everyone here needed to get laid more in his opinion. The cyborg went out to the bars whenever the boss gave them some piece because there were always willing whores, but the others remained inside Snake Mountain most of the time. Since they had met, he was pretty sure Tri-klops had never been with a woman. _No wonder he is so uptight_. Skeletor and Evil-lyn had stopped fucking when his faced got burned off, and neither had chosen another partner since. Beastman he wasn’t sure about and really didn’t want to know. _Mer-man_ … _definitely getting some from some hot fish chicks_!

“I am busy with this transmission.” Tri-klops meant it to be dismissive, but Trap-jaw was not going to give up on this apparently.

“Man, the girl is sexy. What is your hang-up? I would actually be worried if you said she didn’t turn you on.”

“She doesn’t. I need to finish this.” The inventor was not surprised by the other man’s take on what they had just witnessed; it seemed as though everyone at Snake Mountain was always thinking with their groin.

“I think you just need to get laid; it will lighten you up a bit.” When Tri-klops turned on him, the look he received was less than friendly if not downright hostile. His hands went up in immediate surrender because he was sure a fight between them would end badly for him, especially if the swordsman was that pissed off. No, he was not in the mood for that today so he backed away slowly, and quickly departed once he had reached the doorway.

“Now I’m getting dating advice from my fellow **Evil** Warriors.” _We are supposed to be a group of ruthless warriors trying to take over an entire kingdom and instead everyone is worried about who I am not sleeping with._ He shook his head in exasperation.

“He’s right you know,” came a low feminine voice, and Evil-lyn emerged from the shadows behind him only seconds after. “You **are** uptight. Whether you wish to admit it or not, Tri-klops, you want that girl and there is no shame in it. When we do capture her, I hope you will do yourself a favor and fuck her,” said Evil-lyn in a serious voice.

“Evil-lyn, I’m not touching that girl whether she wants it or not. Now, will everyone leave me alone so I can do as Skeletor has asked?” The woman walked out without another word. As much as they enjoyed making each other miserable, some small part of them cared about each other. Evil-lyn had always been close to him in a way that he did not understand, but her quips on the subject were her way of trying to help him. She knew about those nights in the beginning when he had failed to attract women like he had before his accident.

_Only the whores had been interested._

Tri-klops sighed in quiet despair and continued his work.

* * *

After her feeding, Tris had no longer been in the mood to clean by hand despite the fact that she really needed to conserve the precious energy she obtained for as long as possible. She got the rags working, wiping down all the surfaces and removing the cobwebs built up in the seams of the walls. She sorted similar looking objects into the boxes lying about and then stacked them on top of each other. Pushing the tables up against the shelves left the room bare at its center and after a quick wipe-down of the floor, she called it quits. The guards escorted her to Man-at-Arms’ workshop and after a rundown of her work, she headed for her room much to her relief.

“Tris! I was on my way to the dining hall for a quick meal, would you like to join me?” shouted Mekaneck from a little ways away.

“No, Mekaneck. I apologize, but I am going to use the shower, and then nap.” It was an excuse. She really did want the shower but was just not up for talking right now because her mood had been fouled and she finally understood why, _Buzz-off_. Preparing for his behavior beforehand had done nothing to lessen the emotional effect it had on her when it came to pass. For some reason beyond her comprehension, his attitude was bothering her way more than it should have. _We both enjoyed ourselves and I got to feed; I should be happy right now._

But she wasn’t.

And that was strange because she had had many one-time lovers. That was actually quite common for her so why was she irked that he had been so standoffish afterwards? _Maybe because he wasn’t standoffish, he didn’t even acknowledge me._ The answer seemed to be right in front of her face but she really couldn’t come up with it.

Tris would have to think on it, but for now she would just have to be content with slipping under the spray and oh, how good it felt. The heat was blissful as it enveloped her making her feel if only for a moment like she was home. The water poured onto her lithe body and flowed down every line, every curve, giving her just enough to feel as though it were fire come to soothe her. She washed away the grime of the day, washed away the evidence of Buzz-off’s attentions, and let her worries be swept away as well.

That long, hot shower turned out to be enough to lift her spirits a bit, so when she was finished she decided to go down and see Mekaneck after all. When Tris entered the dining hall, it was mostly empty except for a table full of guards across the room and Mekaneck sitting by himself. “Hey,” she said quietly.

“Hi, Tris. I thought you were going to take a nap?”

“I was, but I could not sleep.”

Mekaneck could tell there was something that just wasn’t right with her and thought it polite to ask, “Hey, are you okay?”

She sighed. “No, I am not.” _Always so perceptive,_ most of the time it was a quality to be admired; now it was just annoying. Tris had wanted to visit him to take her mind off of what had transpired, not be reminded of it.

“Do you want to talk?” he asked even though her previous tone was a bit short.

“Yes, but I cannot.” It was at that moment that Buzz-off chose to enter the dining hall, and she experienced a most curious reaction to the event. _My body warms just at the sight of him. How strange._

After quickly scanning the area, he located her and began to make his way over. Tris lowered her eyes so as not to stare and forgot that she had been discussing something with Mekaneck. There was no reason Buzz-off should be looking for her after the way he had just left earlier but she wanted to talk to him nonetheless. _Maybe all I need is some kind of explanation._ Mekaneck had turned around to see what caused her to shy away from their conversation, and looked slightly confused when he spotted Buzz-off approaching them.

Finally reaching their table, he was quick to speak, “Tris, may I speak with you? It will not take long.” The older warrior didn’t even glance at the younger as if hoping his fellow Master would disappear.

Mekaneck just kept looking between her and Buzz-off like he had missed something, which he had. _If he only knew._ “Sure. Mekaneck, I will be back soon.”

Buzz-off led her out of the dining hall, up some stairs, and to a room where he opened the door for her. There were no guards nearby unlike most other areas of the palace suggesting that he really wanted to be alone for this. The room was empty except for a bench and a slight draft coming from the open window suggesting it was not regularly used.

She heard him shut the door, leaning his head against it with a sigh before he began to speak, “Tris, we need to talk about what happened. I apologize for leaving so abruptly, I just…” His voice trailed off and she got the distinct feeling that he had no idea what to say. “We can’t tell anyone what happened and we can never do it again. It was a mistake that I’m sorry I brought upon you.” Watching his face throughout his speech finally made her understand exactly what was happening here. Initially he had looked ashamed, and it was a relief because now she knew it wasn’t her, he was simply worried about the exact thing Mekaneck had warned her about.

By the end he looked truly worried about her reaction like she might start yelling and throwing things at him or something. She had read about these overreactions to being rejected that these human females were so fond of. _This time is so strange_ , she thought, but the whole situation prompted a wide grin from her, which was obviously not what he had expected given his confused look. “Buzz-off, it was not a mistake. Do not worry, I am not going to tell anyone. It was great sex and I am glad it happened, but it was nothing more than that. I am always pleased to have sex with you again, but I understand why you do not wish to. Mekaneck has explained to me that interspecies coupling is frowned upon.”

Relief swept over him at her words and she said the last part so seriously he actually had to grin and hold back some laughter. “Interspecies coupling,” he repeated. “Mekaneck said that?”

“No. Not exactly. I believe he said something such as… what is funny?” Tris couldn’t help but return his smile as if it were contagious.

“Nothing.” He turned to leave feeling much better about this situation than before but paused, “Thank you… for earlier I mean. I enjoyed myself too.”

“I noticed,” she teased, and then a question popped into her head. “Buzz-off, can I ask a personal query?”

“Yes,” he said with only a small amount of hesitation feeling, to his surprise, completely relaxed around her.

“I have found you quite attractive as you well know. Are you considered attractive by your people’s standards?”

“I have been told that, yes.” He waited but she didn’t speak again. “Is that all?”

“No. Why is it that you have not had more sex?”

He was surprised by her question, but then of course she would have noticed that he had mostly been going on instinct. “It is not something I would normally share with outsiders, but let’s just say that most of the men in Andreenos including myself before today have only had sex once if that.” Buzz-off could see her mind trying to wrap itself around that fact as if it was a crazy suggestion and he felt a little stab of anger. “Do you find me to be less of a male because of that?”

“No! I was just curious.” _And now I’ve upset him._ Questioning his sexual prowess had not been her intention behind the query, but his anger upset her if only minutely. “I have had sex more times than I can count with more men than I can think of,” she countered softly. “I know what would be said of me if I was from this era. Do you think less of me?”

Buzz-off instantly felt bad for his moment of anger. She was from a time that he could only assume was so different from his own and admittedly young by her people’s standards. The girl appeared resilient but now he wondered how she really felt about waking up alone and finding out that everyone and everything she had ever known was gone. Feeling compelled and not knowing what else to do in this situation, he closed the gap between them and pulled her into his arms. “No. I do not think that. I apologize for my harsh tone.”

She leaned her head against his chest but it was only for a moment. “It is fine. I should have known better than to ask such a question. Everyone here is so uptight when it comes to sex,” she huffed. Tris left the awkward embrace and sat down on the only furniture the room had.

Buzz-off had been debating his decision to question her, but he thought now might be the only chance he would get. “Why do you smell like an andreenid?”

She gasped and turned to him with a shocked face. “How do you know that? You should not be able to identify that smell.” _This could bring up questions I do not wish to answer._ “I need to go.” She kicked herself internally for being in such a talkative mood and made for the door eager to be rid of the question, but he blocked her escape.

“What are you hiding?”

“Nothing.”

“Then answer my question.”

“No. Now let me go.”

“I will not.”

“Buzz-off, please. Just let me go.”

“No.”

The resolve on his face was clear and she silently contemplated her choices with haste. _Three options: tell the truth, at least some of it, seduce him, or fight._ _Each is less appealing than the last._ _Dammit._ “My body makes and releases the… pheromones, I believe is the word, of whatever species I am around. Most do not recognize the smell for what it is but I am guessing since your people are so reliant on chemical communication that you are more familiar with such scents than the average person,” she admitted reluctantly.

“So that is why everyone wants to…” and his sentence trailed off.

“That is part of it,” she replied grasping what he was asking after a few moments.

“Why would your body attract other species? What are you?”

“None of your business. Now please move. My life is not up for scrutiny by everyone.” Tris could not reveal who she was to this man under any circumstance. His reaction to the fact that she had fed off of him without his knowledge would not be pleasant.

He stepped out of her way, which actually surprised her, figuring he would try for more information. The girl walked to the door and was almost out when she decided to leave him with some parting words, “I am a mixed breed although I lived exclusively with the race I most resemble.” She turned toward him and then added, “Unlike you, in my society… I was not considered beautiful. Exactly the opposite, in fact.” Her gaze lingered on him heedless of her will and then she was gone.

Buzz-off stood in the same position for a while, surprised by and contemplative of her statement. He couldn’t even fathom what this society must have been like for her not to be considered beautiful. Either the standards of beauty were entirely different or somehow everyone was even more attractive than her, which seemed implausible.

He walked out still considering her words and trying to figure out to what advantage was it to be able to attract men to you. _Not just men, men from different races. Actually, she never said men, just species, implying males and females._ Buzz-off was only able to think for a moment when he came upon the Masters and Tris gathered in the communications room.

“Buzz-off, good, you are here; I was going to send out a message. We have received a distress signal from an unknown source, but it seems to be andreenid in origin,” explained Man-at-Arms in a worried voice.

“Andreenid? That makes no sense. All andreenid transmissions have an embedded signature, which makes them clearly identifiable.”

“I know but it had someone speaking in andreenid momentarily before the voice cut out. It has been playing for about half an hour now. There has been no noise or picture since, just a humming sound like background static.” And as if right on cue, Skeletor’s face flashed up on the screen and he looked much too pleased with himself for anyone’s liking.

“Do hope you are all gathered for this transmission, Masters. I’m sending this because I found it most entertaining and figured you lot would find it interesting. Oh and Buzz-off, Andreenos is going to receive this as well. Bit of a delay considering waves don’t travel so well up in the mountains. Think you can make it in time?” He started to laugh in his customary way, which slowly faded out to an image of Tris in the storage shed cleaning the shelves.

Buzz-off stared in horror instantly recognizing that they had been recorded and now understanding Skeletor’s threat. “Man-at-Arms, shut it off. Shut it off, now.”

“Buzz-off, we should probably see what Skeletor saw so we know why he is sending us this message. It might give us some clues to his next move.”

“No. Shut it off, now!” he shouted. Man-at-Arms gave him a curious look at his urgency and panic, but began trying to shut down the system anyways. Buzz-off’s frame could be seen standing in the doorway and the small noise he had admitted sounded loud and clear throughout the silent room.

Tris, who had been momentarily fascinated with her first time view of the infamous Skeletor, also understood what was going on. The girl used her magic to lift Adam and Teela off the ground, pushing them out the door and then black energy wrapped around it, holding the door firmly closed. They banged against the door demanding to know what was going on but it wouldn’t budge. Realistically no one should be seeing this, but right now her magic wasn’t strong enough to keep them all at bay so she had had to choose. Those two were still teenagers and much too young to see such a thing. “Man-at-Arms, please you must shut it off,” she pleaded conveying the urgency.

“I’m trying but there must be a virus in the transmission; it will not allow me to close down the system.” Buzz-off was now standing in front of her on the screen and she knew this was all going to go terribly wrong.

Andreenos’ leader was at a loss of what to do, but he could see the others’ faces changing in recognition of what was happening on the screen. When he saw himself pin her wrists and lay his mouth against hers he couldn’t take it anymore. The screen was destroyed from one shot of his weapon, a loud screeching sound reverberated throughout the room and glass was flung outward. By the time the Masters began to rise from the crouched positions they had taken up to avoid the flying shards, Buzz-off was already streaking passed them. _My queen cannot see this._

Tris saw Buzz-off going for the door so she released her hold on it. He knocked Adam and Teela down with the speed and strength of his flight. When they finally got back into the room Teela exclaimed, “What the heck was that?” No one answered her question, all of them focused on Tris. Ram-man and Man-E were trying to hide confusion and a hint of disgust, Stratos seemed unaffected, Sy-klone was looking at her strangely, Mekaneck just looked hurt, and Man-at-Arms was… furious.

“Everyone except Tris out, **now**.” Man-at-Arms’ tone left no room for argument and as they all filed out only Mekaneck spared her a glance. When everyone was gone he turned to her, “This is going to create a mess we do not need right now; Buzz-off and his people could back out as our allies. Skeletor could broadcast such a thing across all of Eternia. Do you realize what you have done?”

The girl started to defend herself knowing why they were upset, although not fully understanding the reason, but Tris stopped herself before she had even begun. There was no use fighting the truth, everyone was going to blame her for this and she was going to let them. _Buzz-off doesn’t deserve what just happened to him._ “No, I do not, but what would you have of me, Man-at-Arms?”

“You will help Buzz-off fix this with his people if you can. Afterwards, you will not be with him or any of the other Masters in any way. Despite the fact that you are new here and different, we cannot afford to be distracted nor divided in times of war. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” _I am being shunned._ Tris recognized it when she saw it for it had happened so many times before. He didn’t tell her to leave the palace but that was what she must do, staying would only cause more problems. She would do as Man-at-Arms demanded, see if Buzz-off needed her help, and then she would be gone. _It’s time I moved on anyways. I need to find my stones._

But somehow, telling herself that didn’t help her feel any better. She was tired of this strange society, tired of its people and its rules, and yet for some reason she felt a twinge of sorrow when she knew it would all be gone in only a matter of hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope it is more apparent now that Tris and Buzz-off are starting to feel something for each other. I realized before that I didn’t give enough, so that when they do see each other way later on, it was really abrupt. I’m also trying to make everything that transpires much more realistic and not just because that’s what I wanted to do. Hope you guys are feeling like it is working out better this way. Thanks for reading.


	7. Fallout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter WARNING-language

By the time Buzz-off arrived at Andreenos it had been too late; his most trusted advisor, Stingrad, and the queen had seen the transmission. She stared at him for a long time with a look that was disapproving, disappointed, and something that he thought was almost disgust. “What were you thinking?”

“My queen, I…”

“I’m not done. We risk being humiliated in front of the other nations because of this. Who else knows about this? Have the Masters seen it?”

“They saw only the very beginning. I destroyed the transmission before anything happened but… they knew what was going on.” Buzz-off was trying to hold himself together, but he was enraged that Skeletor would do such a thing. It was low even for him and he didn’t see what humiliating him could possibly gain the sorcerer.

“Exactly, and now everyone will hear about it. We will look like fools; they will think us all sexual deviants or something equally as foul. How could you do such a thing with someone who is not even your own kind? It is one thing to get lonely and another to fornicate with a…” and she waved her claw around as if searching for the right word and not coming up with any she thought apt.

“The girl is… it was not my intention… she… has power over males.” Buzz-off wasn’t trying to make excuses because he knew his actions were wrong, but it sounded that way, even to him. “I…”

“Are you saying she forced you? It did not appear that way to me.”

“No, my queen. It is difficult to explain.”

“You are only lucky that no one else has seen this. We can try to contain the damage but it will spread eventually. What will the soldiers think of you? What do **I** think of you?” Hearing his queen say that hurt not only his pride, but his entire being as well. She was everything to him; everything he did was to help his people and to please her. The hive was home and family, and to think that his queen now saw him in such a light was more crushing than any other pain he had ever experienced. “You make me think we should pull out as the Master’s allies. Retreat into the hive away from the fallout this will bring. I should strip you of your rank.”

“Please, my queen, my rank is inconsequential, but do not punish the Masters and Andreenos for my actions; I am still needed in the fight against Skeletor.” An idea popped into his mind, which was so rash, that he couldn’t even believe he had thought of it, and yet it could possibly work. He honestly couldn’t think of any other way to convince them that this was an unintentional mistake, which he was certain was not entirely his fault. “My queen, I know it is a bold suggestion and one you will find loath to entertain, but allow me to bring the girl here for Stingrad and your eyes alone. You will understand my words when I say that I truly tried to avoid this.”

“Again you tell me this is not your fault? Your inability to control yourself from performing such a vile act is now someone else’s fault?”

“No, my queen. Please, allow me to bring her,” he pleaded.

The queen evaluated his proposal looking like she wanted nothing more than to refuse him, but her face finally softened in the end if only minutely. “You have been my most trusted warrior and the best leader we have ever had, Lord Buzz-off. For these reasons alone I will permit what you have asked. Bring her immediately and we shall see what I have to say afterwards.”

“Thank you, my queen.” _I do not know if this will make things better or worse, but it is all I can do._ He left the throne room in a hurry, and tried his best to formulate some sort of plan the entire flight back to Eternos.

* * *

The moment she emerged from the communications room to find herself in the presence of two guards instead of the many men who were usually appreciative to spend time with her, it was evident that things had changed. She had known, just the Masters’ reactions inside the room had been enough for her to understand, and the longer the day wore on, the more she understood. She made her way throughout the palace, venturing into different areas with her guards in tow, and whisperings had already begun. Even without her heightened senses, Tris could see and feel the shift in emotions as word spread around the palace. Excited chatter and interested looks had changed to judgmental gesticulations and revulsion.

Having Mekaneck explain the reactions beforehand was nothing compared to seeing them as they came to fruition. The people and city of Eternos were no longer inviting. The walls seemed to close down around her, suffocating her with a weight borne of misunderstanding and fear of the unknown. She was no more welcome here than she had been in her own home, and the knowledge was taxing.

The decision to leave had already come to the forefront of her mind and now it truly seemed like the only option. In her own world Tris had thought she needed to prove something to her people, to finally become one of them. Maybe that had been the right path and maybe it hadn’t, but the rules of her life had changed. This new world was huge and inundated with fascinating creatures of all kind; just because she could not be welcome here did not mean there wasn’t a place for her somewhere. She just needed to find that place, and maybe it was wherever her stones lay forgotten.

In front of her door, she bid good day to her guards, and shut the world out. It wouldn’t do her any good to have contact with anyone else for the remainder of her stay, especially not the Masters. It was best for them and for her just to forget everything that had happened. The only thing left for her now was to await Buzz-off’s arrival.

She lie down in her bed and allowed time to pass without much thought as she waited for him. Surprisingly, her only thoughts were that of Buzz-off and his own reaction to what had happened. She wasn’t certain how he would act when he arrived, but she could only hope he would somehow treat her, neutrally? Tris wasn’t sure. He would surely be angry, which she understood, but she didn’t want him to be… angry with her. It was complicated. _I know he will not be on my side,_ but she just didn’t want him to be against her.

Night had already fallen when he arrived back at the palace; a simple gust of air filling the room with his scent from the outside as he flew past. She couldn’t help the feeling of comfort nor the elicited response inside her abdomen. He must have landed somewhere else, but she didn’t have to wait long before he stalked into her chambers looking sexy even in his anger. _Focus, Tris. This is what got you into this mess in the first place._ “You will accompany me to Andreenos tonight. You will not speak. You will not even look anyone in the eyes. You will stand there and allow my queen to assess you. I will not have this mistake jeopardizing everything the Masters and I have worked for.”

 _Now, I’m a mistake_ , she thought with a sudden burst of sadness _._ “Buzz-off, I…”

“Do not speak. I don’t want to hear anything. I don’t blame you for this but there is fault here and that cannot be avoided. We must do what we can to forget what happened and repair the damage that has been done. Now please come with me.” Tris thought about saying no but it would only make things worse. _Besides, you decided to let everyone be mad at you for this, remember?_

She walked forward and waited for him to lead her wherever they were going. Out on the palace grounds, Man-at-Arms was standing by some sort of vehicle. “You will go with Man-at-Arms in the wind raider until we reach the Mystic Mountains, then I will carry you into Andreenos.” He looked at her as if to make sure she understood and then took off.

The older warrior did not speak to her the whole ride. The wind whipped harshly against her face as a constant battering but he didn’t seem to mind at all. Man-at-Arms piloted the mountains easily like he knew the layout by heart, which he probably did. The Mystic Mountains themselves… were beautiful. They were large and majestic, stretching upwards through the clouds and blocking out the view of anything else beyond. _I wish I could enjoy them._

When they finally started to slow, she could see that Buzz-off was waiting anxiously for them near a cave in the north face of one of the larger mountains. They landed inside and Tris hopped out in a hurry because she had not been a fan of the vehicle. It was unnatural and uncomfortable for her to be flown through the air in any way short of true wings. “Thank you, Man-at-Arms. I do not know how long this will take.” He nodded his head at Buzz-off’s words and sat down inside the cave to presumably wait it out.

Buzz-off picked her up swiftly and took off. She liked the feeling of his arms around her but he felt tense, worried about what was coming most likely. Tris sighed, leaned into him with her eyes closed, and muttered an exasperated but no less truthful, “I’m sorry.”

When the wind died down, Tris opened her eyes to pure darkness and allowing them to adjust revealed nothing except brown rock. However, voices could be heard through the walls of the large tunnel and she knew they were inside of Andreenos when the overwhelming smell finally wafted to her. It hit her hard and took all of her will power just to keep her arousal at bay. “We are going through a back entrance that is rarely used so you won’t be seen.” That comment made her anger flare since there wasn’t a reason for him to say it other than to emphasize the fact that she was unwelcome here. _Now_ _I am a dirty secret that must be hidden._ Angry yes, but a little hurt as well as the feeling of being an outsider, one that she was more than accustomed to, reared its ugly head.

He slowed down and peaked around each corner that they came across as he navigated the maze. When he was satisfied that no one was around, Buzz-off would move again, slowly and quietly. The latest corner opened up into a huge hallway-like tunnel and after repeating his surveying procedures, he moved into the hall and flew straight upwards into an open area. From here, the andreenid warrior quickly made his way through a multitude of caves and then up through a very skinny tunnel.

When they emerged they were in a spacious hall that appeared to be the andreenid throne room. The queen sat upon an intricate throne that had been carved from the walls of the room and was engaged in a fierce conversation with an enormous andreenid that stood at her side. He was an impressive sight; Tris’ head wouldn’t even reach his waist and some of his spines were longer than her arms. His complexion was much darker than Buzz-off’s and his eyes were a deep red. The girl felt an immediate attraction to him, but suppressed the feeling almost as quickly dubbing it a response to the male aroma she was constantly being subjected to since they had arrived.

Tris glanced at the other female with quick flicks of her eyes but never lifted her face up, following the orders she had been given explicitly. She thought the queen was actually quite beautiful in all her cream and golden glory. Once again she was mesmerized by their large, partitioned eyes, but hers were also red unlike Buzz-off’s beautiful blue ones.

The andreenid warrior in question deposited her roughly onto her own two feet and left to kneel before his queen. “Rise, Buzz-off. Girl, come forward. What is your name?” Tris looked at Buzz-off and tried to figure out what to do since he had told her not to speak. “Do not look to him. I am speaking to you. What is your name?”

“Tris.”

“Tris. You have caused quite a mess. Buzz-off has never disappointed me before… until now.” Buzz-off flinched at the queen’s harsh words and Tris felt a little stab of anger that she was being deliberately cruel toward him. “I am unsure of what to do at this point, but Buzz-off thinks that meeting you will help me decide. I’m not entirely certain as to why but I am going to entertain his notion. Step closer so I may examine you.” The girl walked as close to the queen as possible and stared down at the floor. “Allow me to look upon your face, girl,” she said impatiently.

Looking up, Tris noticed the big male’s eyes changed from one of contempt to lusty curiosity in a matter of moments. _This could work or… make things worse_. “There **is** something attractive about you. Stingrad, what do you think?”

“She smells of Andreenos,” he replied with a hint of fascination as he sniffed the air repeatedly and his antennae twitched rapidly.

“She does. I would say it is because you have been up close with Buzz-off but you do not smell only of him. Stingrad, do you find the girl to be attractive?”

“Honestly? Yes, my queen. I find her to be somewhat tempting.” His gaze turned to his queen when he spoke but it turned back to Tris when his words ended.

“How strong is this attraction?” Stingrad did not wish to answer the question because it was highly inappropriate. “Do you wish to touch her?”

“My queen…”

“Touch her.”

“What?!” Stingrad exclaimed, surprised by his queen’s command and affronted by the accusing tone in which she gave it.

“Touch her.”

“My queen, I am uncomfortable with this.” His gaze flicked between Tris and his queen unsure of where to look anymore.

“Stingrad, please? I must understand the nature of this girl to make an informed decision about Buzz-off’s current predicament.”

The tall andreenid was obviously bothered by his queen’s orders but wasn’t going to disobey her. Angrily, he moved to stand in front of Tris, making her back up to accommodate his bulk. He picked her up by the arm in one swift movement as if she were a distasteful object, which caused an intense pain to shoot through the entire right side of her upper body. She cried out and he dropped her on her butt jarring her torn arm further. Buzz-off moved to help her, and then stopped, probably not wanting to make his queen angrier.

Stingrad was staring down at her with a considerate look upon his face as she got up slowly cradling her arm. The large andreenid looked concerned when he realized he had hurt her and looked back at his queen. “Her pain bothers you, Stingrad?”

“Yes, my queen. I find I want to help her.” When he looked back, Tris was so done with this. Her patience had worn thin and she just wanted to leave now, be damned whatever happened from here on out. Knowing the queen could not see her, her face rearranged into a coy smile. Her eyelashes became a useful tool, batting them at him while her tongue flicked out across her full, red lips. Stingrad took a sharp intake of breath and reached his arm out, then paused as if fighting himself.

She used her uninjured arm to caress her own body. Starting with it wrapped around her front to loosely cradle her neck, she moved it down her body slowly so he could fantasize about more than the act she was actually performing. His eyes followed the gliding touch all the way and it was enough. He reached behind her with both arms, claws digging into her buttocks sharply, and lifted her too him. He attacked her mouth with his own and she groaned into him, her attraction coming back with a vengeance.

Tris knew she could feed and fix her arm but there wasn’t enough time. An impact from the left threw everyone to the ground and caused the girl to land on her already damaged shoulder, stars exploding behind her eyes. She lay there in agony trying desperately not to faint. Before she could figure out what had happened someone’s arm wrapped around her from behind and yanked her to her feet. The back of her body was pressed up against what she recognized as Buzz-off’s toned figure. He was holding her possessively and she could hear a rumbling set of vocals, which sounded very much like growling, and an angry buzzing, close to her left ear.

“Buzz-off?” came the queen’s voice.

Buzz-off looked at his queen confused for a moment, and then disturbed when he realized what he had done. Letting go of Tris he dropped to one knee in embarrassment. “My queen, I am sorry.”

“Enough. I do not know what this girl is, but I have seen enough to understand the threat she represents. You are not forgiven but will not be punished either. Your place as a Master is secure and you will continue your duties as if nothing has changed. You will not, however, have any more contact with this girl. Now remove her from my sight and do not allow anyone to see her on the way out.”

Buzz-off picked Tris up, careful of her shoulder, and navigated the tunnels out of the hive by memory, lost in his own head.

* * *

Tris didn’t have too difficult a time preparing to leave, after all she didn’t own anything. There was a note on the bedside table that said: I left. It would be enough after she visited Mekaneck. The girl was sure she would miss the Masters, but things would never be the same after what she had seen on everyone’s faces. _I’m an outcast now. Just like before._ She left the room quietly and shut the door behind her remembering what it felt like to belong if only for a brief moment.

No one saw her the whole way to Mekaneck’s room and she slipped inside quietly. He was sleeping soundly and she debated just leaving but, _I must tell someone or they may come looking for me._ He was lying on his back and a smile escaped her at his gentle snoring. She walked over to the bed and slid her body on top of his instantly melting against him. His arms wrapped around her reflexively and she enjoyed the embrace. That was, until his grip tightened, most likely in response to whatever dream he was lost in, and she gasped at the pressure that was applied to her damaged shoulder.

The gasp and squirming was enough to rouse him from his slumber, and he tried to focus on her as he came out of his haze. “Tris? What… what are you doing here?” She made to get up but he held her close. “Don’t. I have wanted this but… why are you here?”

“Mekaneck, thank you for being so kind to me. You made me feel very welcomed during my stay but I am leaving now.” Her tone was matter-of-fact. He sat up quickly with her still in his arms so that she was left straddling his hips.

“What?! I know Man-at-Arms was mad but you didn’t do anything wrong. It will all blow over in a couple of days.”

“I have other reasons for leaving. I only came to say goodbye so they would not think something has happened to me. I am leaving of my own free will and do **not** wish to be pursued.” Tris tried to leave but he wouldn’t let go.

“Please. Don’t leave.”

“Mekaneck, let me go,” and his arms immediately loosened because he would not keep her against her will. The sadness on his face was almost unbearable and she just couldn’t leave it like that. She cradled his face with her good hand and leaned into kiss him. It was the gentlest brush of lips but it still felt nice especially when he pushed into the kiss.

 _I should feed. I must heal my arm and store up some more energy._ Slipping her tongue in his mouth, he relaxed against her little by little most likely coming to terms with the situation. His arms wrapped around her again much more loosely than before and they slowly stroked up her back. Tris let herself enjoy the taste of his mouth, slightly sweet and salty at the same time, and the loving caress. The young magician allowed the man in her arms to believe that she wanted him and let the moments pass as they kissed with a passion borne of a shared moment of pain.

When the first rays of the sun came over the horizon and filtered in through the window, it was time. The girl pulled back until her lips were barely touching his and whispered, “I’m sorry.” Tris started to kiss him like she would drown if his lips left hers even for a moment. She pushed him back against the sheets and started to feed, pulling his energy from him reveling in the taste of his unique maleness. Like his mouth, his aura was salty and… innocent.

Unlike semen and blood, the sexual energy she now pulled from him was already in a useable and storable form. As it entered her body, it shot through her like electricity and out to all of her extremities. The power danced along her nerves, sending sensations of pure pleasure to her brain and caused her to suck harder at his mouth physically and magically. Focusing, her battered arm was bathed in the intense heat and she could feel the torn muscle and connective tissue being reformed.

The thief felt him notice something was wrong and he started to fight her, albeit weakly. A few more moments and she released him, her eyes glowing with the inner fire that was always just below the surface. He was too weak to do anything so Tris kissed him gently one more time before sliding off him, and then she left without ever looking back.

* * *

Later, when he could finally get up, Mekaneck shuffled into the dining hall and dropped down next to one of his fellow Masters. He felt like shit, physically and emotionally, and was utterly confused as to what had just happened to him. The others could tell there was something wrong by his hunched shoulders, and his usually carefree demeanor was gone.

“Hey Mek, what’s wrong?” asked Adam with real concern in his voice.

The depressed warrior looked at everyone and then back down at his lap. “She’s gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t think much of Mekaneck before I started writing this but he is a great character and fun to work with. I’m thinking he’ll probably get some more love in this story than I originally intended.
> 
> I added some stuff because I really wanted to show why she felt pressured into leaving Eternos. It also goes to her lonely demeanor, which is important because it is an explanation for a lot of her actions.


	8. What Has Changed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read thus far. I hope you enjoy. As always, feedback is appreciated, good or bad.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-None

Tris had been on the move for about a week now and she hadn’t heard a damn thing about her stones. Moving from one town to the next inquiring about the stones in bars, to merchants, and anyone she could find selling jewels had given her nothing but a headache. _Not even close_. The first town she stopped in had been really small and everyone knew each other too well not to notice an outsider. They had been fearful of her so she moved on quickly avoiding any of the smaller villages from that point on. After that, the girl would change her skin to a human tone before entering the towns. It didn’t detract from her beauty but people didn’t stare as much, which allowed her to be less conspicuous.

The trip had been easy the first two days because feeding from Mekaneck and Buzz-off had been so profitable, but then her energy stores had run low. The first night of her demanding energy needs had been the most eventful. Her own stupidity had caused them to drop to a point where her organs had begun to shut down. This had allowed herself to be taken by a man under the guise of help, but his true intention had been to have his way with her. His own arousal had permitted her to feed and handle the situation, but it had also led her to make the acquaintance of a kind and decent man. He was an innkeeper named Zeke and had been a much needed friend in a time when she had felt so alone.

He had been more than generous, even going so far as to extend an invitation for her to stay at the inn for as long as she needed free of charge. Tris had stayed for a little while and even fed off Zeke with his consent, but eventually she had to leave. She had bid him farewell and told him that she would return someday, but it wasn’t a promise because her future was too uncertain at this point.

After that ordeal and her almost-death, she had been more careful. Each night under the cloak of darkness, the girl would find an easy victim but the feedings were never enough to last her for more than a day. A significant portion of the energy was wasted wiping her victim’s memory and the ongoing spell to change her skin’s appearance. The situation could have been easily remedied by taking a few men to her bed but she just didn’t want to. There was a strange feeling deep inside her that she couldn’t comprehend. As a creature of passion and lust, taking men to her bed had always been second nature but now she didn’t even enjoy kissing her prey. _Regardless, I will have to feed soon._

Visiting the merchants of this town had not yielded any information either. Frustrated and hungry, she was about to move on when a conversation between two young boys caught her attention. “My dad came back an hour ago. While he was there the palace was held up real tight and they were preparing for battle.”

“Wow. What was going on?”

“He said at first there was this thundering noise like thousands of feet marching toward the palace and then there were explosions. Apparently Skeletor had an army of skeleton warriors, but He-man, Sy-klone, and a robot were able to defeat them!”

“An entire army of skeleton warriors?! I wonder how they managed to win…” Their voices faded as they walked out of her hearing range still chattering excitedly.

Tris couldn’t help but wonder if she should try to seek out this Skeletor. The Masters hadn’t told her much except that he was evil and had done terrible things. Apparently, he had always had nefarious intentions but after an accident that left him deformed he had gone truly insane. The few details Mekaneck let slip about the heinous crimes the sorcerer was known for had not sounded so bad given that her own people had committed atrocities far worse than anything she had heard. _Mekaneck probably just didn’t tell me the really gruesome stuff_ …

 _…but he was the one who originally found my stone._ Not more than a week ago she had thought about finding a new place to call home with a new group of people. Since she had left, Tris never lingered in one place for too long. Most of the towns took her no longer than a day to completely search, with the occasional city taking perhaps two. Part of her knew she should take more time to learn more about this foreign world, but something kept her moving. Each location presented a new opportunity to start her new life and yet none of them felt quite right. Probably because they weren’t. Had she not also wondered if that place might not have been wherever her stones had ended up? If Skeletor had found her, maybe he had found the others as well.

There were arguments either way, seek him out or not, but the correct answer was not easy to distinguish. _I don’t know how he will receive me. I should just keep looking for now._

* * *

Mekaneck had been moping around the palace since Tris had left. Even though he tried not to think about her, it was a losing battle. His fellow Masters had noticed but they did not mention her, at least not in front of him, which he was grateful for but angry about at the same time. The young warrior had tried to understand the girl; that her mind worked differently than his own, so he had not been too bothered by what had happened with Buzz-off after the initial shock of it.

That was not the case with the others. They had tried to treat her as if she were a like-minded individual from their time with their way of thinking, and then had been so surprised when she did something so out of touch with society’s rules. _Maybe if I had seen the whole transmission, I might not feel so understanding._

Probably thinking something to do would help everyone chill out and work together again, Man-at-Arms took the Masters out on patrol more often than usual. That was a great idea except the tension between them all was high and it only made him feel awkward.

As bad as his emotional state was he knew that Buzz-off was feeling worse. Everyone was treating him differently and the hostility from some of the other Masters was almost palpable even to Mekaneck. _They would have been with her in a heartbeat and yet they act like he is a terrible person for doing it._ He didn’t know if it was jealousy or if they really were just that bothered that his species was so different from hers _._

And so, Buzz-off didn’t speak much to anyone and nor did anyone speak to him unless necessary. The normally prideful, upbeat warrior walked around as if he had lost something. Mekaneck didn’t know if the andreenid’s emotional state was because of how everyone was treating him, or if it was something else.

The whole affair had turned into one of Eternia’s few scandals as the rumor of what had happened spread around Eternos, and eventually to the other cities, almost overnight. He wasn’t sure what had happened in Andreenos the night Tris had gone with him, but he couldn’t imagine the queen had been too kind. Tris had left that very same night, not saying goodbye to anyone except for him. Mekaneck also couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Buzz-off wasn’t saddened by the fact that Tris had left. _I didn’t even sleep with her and I’m torn up about it._ _I bet he misses her whether he believes their relationship was wrong or not._

When they returned from their latest patrol, Teela explained that Tri-klops had tried to take the palace while they were away. Apparently he had created an army of skeleton warriors that when slain, reanimated themselves dividing in two in the process. Roboto, the new robot Man-at-Arms had just built, had turned the tide of the battle; interesting since the robot had only been created to satisfy Man-E-Robot’s need for a worthy chess opponent. _I bet Tris would have beaten him if they had ever gotten the chance to play._ The thought brought a smile to his face even though it hurt to think about her.

It wasn’t but a few minutes after the impromptu meeting had adjourned that Mekaneck decided he really needed to speak with Man-at-Arms. He didn’t really want to have this conversation but knew it was important for the older warrior to know what Tris had done to him. _Even though, we’ll probably never see her again._ He entered the workshop to find the inventor sitting alone at his worktable tinkering around inside the base of a new unidentifiable invention. “Man-at-Arms, I need to speak with you… about Tris.”

“As do I. I know you were attached to the girl but she was a distraction we cannot afford. Also, I want you to know that I did not ask her to leave; she decided that all on her own for whatever reason.”

“I know. She told me there were other reasons for her to leave besides what happened. It’s not about that. The night of her departure, she came to see me and… um… did something to me.”

Man-at-Arms looked up intently at his words. “What do you mean?”

The young warrior suddenly felt awkward about having to explain what happened. “Uh… she kissed me. At first it felt normal, and then I felt this weird sensation. I started to feel really weak like she was taking my strength and when she let me go I could barely move.” He watched Man-at-Arms through his short speech and the man did not give away anything.

“I’m not sure we will see her again but this is a dangerous power she possesses. I will think upon it for now and see if there is something that needs to be done. Mekaneck, you were right to tell me about this and if she contacts you again for any reason, you must let me know.”

“You think Tris is dangerous? She never hurt anyone during her stay.” The implication was not lost on him and he didn’t want to think that Tris was a threat to anyone. Nor did he want everyone here to start treating her like an enemy. How had the situation changed so fast?

“There is too much that we do not know about her and now we may never know. Mekaneck. You just told me she drained you of your energy. Of course I consider that to be dangerous. What if she can drain people to death that way?” He sighed, feeling emotionally worn out. “It is my job to worry about everything that could go wrong. I know she was kind to everyone here and she even helped Buzz-off remedy the situation with his people, but her intentions are unknown and I am concerned about that.”

Mekaneck left considering everything Man-at-Arms had said. _I’m sure she only drained me to keep me from following her._ He even remembered how the girl had apologized right beforehand. At the time, the apology seemed to be about her leaving them, but now he was sure it was about her stealing from him. The more he thought, the more he knew Man-at-Arms was right. Turning against her simply because they didn’t understand her was wrong but caution was always the best approach. Tris had already displayed some of her power, who knew what the extent of it really was.

* * *

Tri-klops had been punished severely for his betrayal. After Skeletor had scoffed at his newest invention, self-replicating skeleton warriors, and belittled his work, he had gone out on his own with the intention of taking over Eternia. It hadn’t worked, but Skeletor had been irate nonetheless. He had trapped Tri-klops in a room and made him defend himself against his own creations until he had collapsed from exhaustion and pain, quickly fading out. Afterwards his unconscious body had been moved to his room and when he awoke Skeletor had decreed that he was not allowed to take anything for the pain nor was Evil-lyn allowed to heal him. For now, he would lie in his bed and bleed.

His skeleton warriors were engineered to be formidable and they had done their job perfectly. Every inch of his body had been battered and bruised, sliced open by their deadly steel. One of his wrists and three of his ribs were broken but everything aside, the warrior was most upset about his visor. All three eyes had been crushed so he couldn’t see at all, which would make repairing it a slow and difficult task. _I still almost brought down He-man; that is probably why Skeletor is so mad_ , he thought to himself with pride. The thoughts didn’t last long, however, because despite the fact that he had strayed just this once, he was unquestionably loyal to Skeletor. After all, he owed the sorcerer his life and he was too honorable not to remain forever in his master’s debt.

His strength had been sapped from the fight and thankfully sleep was coming to claim him again. His thoughts unexpectedly drifted to the girl. She had left the Masters like Evil-lyn had predicted, and now Skeletor had him using his Doomseekers to scour all of the cities in Eternia in an effort to find her. Hopefully she hadn’t gone into Subternia because they would never find her then. _That would be a shame. I would never get to examine her._ He meant that in a totally scientific way of course.

Only a few minutes later sleep finally took him and his dreams were pleasantly filled with the sight of a very pretty girl.

* * *

“Skeletor, I have been thinking that we should formulate a plan for when we do find the girl.” Evil-lyn was lounging against a rock in the throne room in what was a rather provocative position. She was on her side with one knee bent and her arm resting upon it gracefully. Her head rested on her other hand and the woman gazed at him with heavy eyelashes just like she always had after good sex. There was no doubt that he was aware of what the look meant. Skeletor’s gaze roamed her body more often since the girl had shown up like he was hornier than before. Enjoying this new attention from her master, the female magician made it well known that she knew of his lust.

“What do you mean? The plan is to capture her and force her to give us the secrets of the stones.”

Evil-lyn sat up examining her fingernails nonchalantly. “And what if she will not? What if she uses magic against us? We do not know what kind of power the girl is capable of. I do not think it is wise to let her know we have the stones in our possession so quickly. Her views about the Masters have surely changed and I believe we may be able to convince her to join us instead.”

“An intriguing idea.” He thought for a moment and then said, “Do you remember the belt Man-at-Arms used to turn my evil deeds against me? What we need is such a garment that would dampen her magic, make it so she cannot use it against us.”

“An excellent idea, my lord.”

“You sound so surprised, dear Evil-lyn. Do you think you are the only brilliant one in Snake Mountain?”

She couldn’t help but smile at his offhand compliment. “That plan will make it so we can keep her here and find out what she knows without revealing any of our own secrets. Skeletor, why not totally destroy her ability to do magic?”

“If she cannot use it against us, then there is nothing to worry about. She can then still be useful around here should I deem it fitting for her to do something. It also will not matter in this case if she comes willingly or not.” He looked pleased with himself as he continued on, “Yes, have Tri-klops make the garment and you, craft a spell to power it. Tell him I think a collar would be fitting. I do enjoy having pets.”

“Skeletor, Tri-klops will not be useful for quite some time. Your punishment was severe.”

“You question my judgment on the matter?” His eyes lit up and his second-in-command quickly explained her words.

“Never. You are most capable at dealing out punishments, Lord Skeletor. I simply mean to say that he cannot craft anything as of right now.”

Skeletor was distracted when one of the Doomseekers barely missed being swiped by Panthor as it flew up close to his face. It hovered there waiting for a signal. “Yes?” Skeletor demanded impatiently. The robot turned and projected an image of what looked like the girl walking through a town. Her skin was the wrong color but the face and clothes were right. _She must be trying to blend in._ She was still getting looked at but was moving quickly so as not to be in anyone’s sights for too long. _That damn tinkerer tries to take power for himself and still he will get a reprieve._ “Evil-lyn, heal Tri-klops just enough so that he may perform this task for me. I do not want him pain free.” He said it with contempt and a slight glow to his sockets.

“Yes, Skeletor.”

“Send Trap-jaw, Beastman, and Clawful to me,” he ordered although his eyes were lingering on her chest, not her face. Evil-lyn nodded her head confirming his orders, smirked at him, and slowly backed out of the room.

* * *

Four hours later, Tri-klops was working diligently on the collar. Evil-lyn had woken him to heal his hands and repair his wrist but nothing else, Skeletor’s orders apparently. He had used the first two hours to fix his visor, and then got to work on the collar. The sorceress had hung around watching him work and he had actually welcomed the company for once. The scientist was moving slow due to his injuries but progress was being made. “The collar is a good idea. Was it yours?” asked Tri-klops inquisitively.

“No. Surprisingly, it was Skeletor’s.”

“Remembering his turn, I suppose.” It wasn’t really a question.

“Yes. He is still quite upset about those few days.” Evil-lyn smiled at the memory. Seeing the great Skeletor reduced to a harmless, magically castrated nothing had amused her greatly. They had all been punished for their insolence when he had finally gotten the damn thing off but it had been worth it. Tri-klops had been the only one who had not taken joy from his plight and yet had still been punished. _That’s where loyalty gets you in this place._

“Finished.” Tri-klops actually beamed when he finished the collar like with most of his inventions. It was a rare moment when the swordsmen actually smiled. The collar was beautiful for what it was. It was a black, continuous piece of metal with three silver rings attached as if chains could be hooked to it. She assumed the rings marked the front but then noticed there was a circular recess in the collar on the opposite side that was circled by a silver inlay. Stretching from the silver on either side was a thin band that went all the way around the collar.

“What is that for?” asked Evil-lyn pointing to the recess and band.

“It is for the necklace the girl wears.”

“Hmm. A bit sentimental for you, Tri-klops,” Evil-lyn said sarcastically.

“Infusing something that belongs to her into the collar will allow your spell to adhere forever, and will also make sure it can only be used on her. That way, if she somehow managed to get it off she couldn’t put it on you or Skeletor,” he replied like it was such an obvious reason.

 _That might be the most he has ever said at one time,_ Evil-lyn thought to herself in a rare moment of surprise at Tri-klops’ behavior. Although, he had been acting differently since the girl had first made an appearance. He seemed almost happier at times, which was a strange but welcome occurrence. Still, now she would definitely have to tease him about it. “Why Tri-klops, I didn’t know you cared,” she said dramatically.

“I don’t.” The light banter was fun until she saw him wince from his internal injuries. “Lay your spell, and then go tell Skeletor it is ready.”

“Tri-klops, it is too big for the girl, and I do not see a hinge or buckle. How are you going to get it on her?”

“It will slip over her head and around her neck. When I insert the necklace it will shrink down to the appropriate size.” He finished speaking, and then remembered something he wanted to say. “Lay your spell such that only the three of us can remove the collar.”

“Mmm. **You** wish to be able to take it off too? I thought you might like the collar to stay on her while you fucked. You know like a slave thing. Isn’t that what the loops on the back of it are for? I always figured you for the kinky type,” she said winking at him. Evil-lyn laughed when the inventor had nothing to say to that but a menacing glare worthy of Skeletor himself.

Her eyes then glowed with purple energy as they did whenever she invoked her magic. Her staff pointed at the collar and with the appropriate spell already in her head, the sorceress released a wave of energy that coated the collar in a bright purple wash. A few moments later the metal stopped glowing and Evil-lyn looked satisfied. “You know, Tri-klops. This will make her powerless against us.” Her comment was meant to be evocative and he took it the intended way.

“If you are proposing what I think you are, it will not happen.” Tri-klops was angry even at the suggestion of him raping anyone.

“I know you are too honorable for such a thing. You must remember though, there are others here who aren’t. If I were you, I would play nice but get to her quickly before she is… damaged goods.” The woman left swiftly as if not wanting to give him a chance to reply. _She still assumes I want to lie with that girl._ He had never participated in an act of rape, for it was a cowardly maneuver, but he would not stop others who did find it to their liking.

_I suppose I’ll probably feel bad if Beastman gets his hands on her._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t even going to try and come up with an incantation that Evil-lyn would use for laying the spell on the collar. It probably would have been really cheesy.


	9. Collar For You, My Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a teeny bit shorter than the others but the original scenes were so bare that I really wanted to expand them. I think if I had left them in the previous chapter then it would have been way too long. Anyways, this chapter has a lot of added details, so I hope you thoroughly enjoy.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-None

Adam sat in the courtyard watching as Teela paced back and forth agitation flowing off of her in waves. He knew that she wanted to know what had happened inside the communications room and that she was angry with her father for deliberately not telling her. He was mildly curious as well because most of the Masters were acting different since it had happened, but he was nowhere near as worked up as Teela. Still, he supported her and tried to help her figure out what to do because he didn’t like to see his friend in such a state.

“I’m going to demand that my father tell me what happened,” she said stopping cold in her tracks. Teela clenched her fists in resolve and then spun around, “What do you think?”

“I think you already tried that and it got us nowhere.”

“Well, I’m going to try again. I don’t see that there is any other option.” They had already tried asking the other Masters, but no one would tell them anything. At the first mention of the topic, they had all just looked embarrassed and said, ‘Ask your father,’ except for Buzz-off who had responded with an angry, ‘Nothing.’

“Alright, well let’s go then,” he said hopping down from his current position on top of the largest rock. “He’s in his workshop right now.”

“Right,” she said leading the way. They were in front of the inventor’s workshop in a matter of minutes, and Teela stormed in with all the strength she possessed in her gait. “Father, we wish to know what happened inside the communications room and what was shown on that transmission.”

“Teela, I’ve told you before. It isn’t important,” said Man-at-Arms trying to deflect.

“Of course it is. I am Captain of the Guard, and I need to know exactly what has happened that has had such an effect on all of my warriors.”

“And what effect would that be?” he asked wondering why she just couldn’t let this topic go. _It’s not in her nature, Duncan. You know that,_ came The Sorceress’ words in his mind.

“Father, do not tell me that you have not noticed. Mekaneck walks around like someone died, Buzz-off is perpetually angry, that girl disappeared in the middle of the night and no one is questioning it. All of the Masters are tiptoeing around, everyone is tense just being in the same room, and the only one acting normal is Sy-Klone, and that is saying something when Sy-Klone is the only normal one around here!” Teela was almost shouting by the end in her frustration. She had to reign herself back in though because she was never intentionally disrespectful toward her father.

“Teela, I would ask that you let this go. You and Adam are too young to know of such things.”

And that was it. She had known it all along; the reason all of the adults were treating just her and Adam differently, too young. They were being treated like children and that was what had upset her most about this situation. “Father, I am a seasoned warrior who has faced life or death situations. Adam has as well and he is also the future king. Everyone has told us our entire lives to be mature and responsible, and yet everyone is treating us like children now.”

Man-at-Arms stared into his daughter’s hardened green eyes seeing the resolve there, and then sighed knowing she was right despite the fact that he didn’t want to broach this subject with her. “You are right, Teela, and I apologize for treating you that way. The reason no one wished to speak of what happened is because Buzz-off was with Tris…”

“What do you mean ‘with Tris?’” she interrupted.

“Buzz-off and Tris were together intimately, as a… male and female are sometimes. Apparently Skeletor had recorded the whole thing and that was what was shown in the transmission.”

“Go, Buzz-off,” Adam said out loud without thinking. Luckily for him it appeared as though it had been quiet enough that neither of them had heard.

“Father, we are not so young for you to believe that we do not know about sex. I agree that we shouldn’t have seen the transmission, but frankly, no one should have.”

“Yes, and at the time Buzz-off destroyed the screen so no one could, but I have been informed that it has been leaked somehow and is spreading around Eternia. It’s probably Skeletor’s doing again, but I am trying to eradicate the transmission while following it back to the source, and hopefully shutting it down for good.”

Teela thought about everything she had been told and everyone’s behavior made sense now. Mekaneck was saddened the girl had chosen someone else, but even more so probably just by the fact that she had left. Buzz-off was angry that Skeletor would broadcast his tryst and embarrassed that he had done such a thing in the first place. The rest of the Masters probably didn’t know how to feel about it other than the fact that it was gross, and Teela wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that they had seen the entire transmission given the level of animosity toward Buzz-off.

What didn’t make sense was Skeletor’s motivations behind the act; there didn’t seem to be anything he could gain from it. “Father, why would Skeletor do such a thing?” she asked giving a voice to her thoughts. “I know he is cruel, but he rarely does anything without a purpose.”

“I had been asking myself the same question. The only thing I can guess is that he hoped Buzz-off would leave us and Andreenos would retreat into the hive. It would leave us short a Master and bad relations with Andreenos would make life harder for all of us, especially for Avion.”

“I guess, but it seems rash even for Skeletor.” She decided to put some more thought into it later, but for now she was just happy that everything had been cleared up. “Thank you for telling us the truth. I will return to my duties now.” It was at that point she noticed that Adam wasn’t even paying any attention anymore. “As will Adam,” she said as she grabbed his arm and steered him toward the door.

“What?!” he exclaimed trying way too hard for innocence and they both ended up laughing as they walked out the door.

When they were outside, she let him go with a little shove. “I heard what you said about Buzz-off. You’re such a guy,” and she rolled her eyes. Adam just grinned at her appreciating his friend even more in that moment. It wasn’t long before her amused faced turned contemplative and he knew she was going to ask him something. “So, you really don’t see anything wrong with it, Tris and Buzz-off I mean?”

“You mean because they aren’t the same species?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, like you said, I’m a guy. I thought she was attractive, and it wasn’t hard to see that everyone else did too.”

“But she is… more similar to everyone else.”

“I don’t think that’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I think its Buzz-off that everyone is having trouble with. To us, he looks like a giant insect and we, as humans, do not find that attractive.”

“So?”

“So, it’s not that Tris was with Buzz-off. It’s that Buzz-off was with Tris.”

“That’s the same thing, Adam.”

“Not in my head. It’s like even though Tris is just as different from us as she is from Buzz-off, because she is still humanoid we see her in a sexual manner. Not with Buzz-off. Thinking about him sexually makes us feel gross because we’re not supposed to feel attracted to a bug, even if he obviously isn’t one.”

“You know, that actually does make a little bit of sense,” Teela paused to stare at him before giving him a wry look, “Adam, when did you get so smart?”

“Ha. Ha,” and they both laughed again in earnest.

* * *

The first time she saw the men, and she used that term loosely, Tris was making her way through a merchant’s tent. She had been looking through the various stones and artifacts for even a hint of her own missing property when she saw them out of the corner of her eye. The first looked like a huge, red crab and his whole demeanor made her think he had a low intelligence. He didn’t walk, he lumbered, and his face seemed to indicate that he was confused about everything. The other was another animal-like man, but he looked more like some sort of primate covered in his thick orange fur. His eyes showed that he had ill-intent no matter what he was thinking about and unlike his comrade, there was knowledge and cunning hidden behind his obvious lust.

Even though they were staring at her, she didn’t given them anymore thought because most of the townspeople allowed their gazes to linger on her even with her altered appearance. When Tris moved on to another tent, she found them watching her again, and that was when she noticed the behavior of those around her. Everyone moved away from the two men, some pointing and whispering as if they were familiar faces, unfriendly familiar faces.

She thought it best to avoid them as well, but the problem was, they were following her. Everywhere Tris went, they were never too far away and she doubted it was by coincidence. She had the option to run and was more than certain she could evade them, but the girl was also curious as to why they would be following her in the first place. They may be looking for a good time, in which case, she would enjoying draining them into nothingness. On the other hand, they did seem to be actively stalking her, but not engaging, so they could be interested for another reason. _Run or don’t. Decisions, decisions._

In the end, Tris decided she wanted her own curiosity sated. She acted the same as before perusing the different sights, but slowly made her way toward the secluded area of this town, which was located toward the eastern edge. She didn’t want any witnesses in case they felt the need to try to interfere. When Tris was sure she was alone, she finally turned on them, but stayed in a neutral stance. The girl was ready to fight but she didn’t want them to know that yet. “Alright. Who are you and what do you want?”

“Uh… I think she knows we’re here, Beastman,” said the large crab man. _Well that just confirms the theory that crab-man is dumb._

“Really?” the other one replied sarcastically while looking annoyed with the first. He turned to her and said in a gruff voice, “We work for Skeletor. He wants to meet you.”“Why? What does he want?”

“None of your concern. Now come with us, unless you want to run. I would love to chase you.” His grin said cat and mouse, which was not how she wanted any man to be looking at her. _Sorry. I’m not playing._

“I don’t think so. If I don’t have a reason, I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Yes, you are. Whether you think so or not,” the furry man replied with a laugh.

Tris noticed the large shadow covering her too late. She tried to move but whoever it was made contact with her head and she went down. Everything was fading fast and all that could be heard was the sound of their laughter. _Now who’s dumb?_ was her only thought before the world went black.

* * *

Evil-lyn had come to watch Tri-klops examine the girl much to his dismay. It’s not that he wanted to be alone with her, it was just that he was sure the damn witch was trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible with her lewd comments. Speaking of, “Tri-klops. You can examine her anatomy more… intimately while she is unconscious. Of course, we’ve all already seen the whole show, as they say. What did you think about that by the way? I meant to ask you before.”

“Shut-up.” _Damn witch._ Tri-klops had been worried how he would react to seeing the girl especially while Evil-lyn was watching him. It had turned out way different than expected for he had not felt lust for her at all; he felt pity, which was highly unusual for him. He didn’t pity anyone. However, she was quite small, still bleeding from the head-wound Trap-jaw had given her, and she just looked… vulnerable. Her clothes were also torn where apparently Beastman had gotten too excited before Trap-jaw had reminded him that Skeletor had said no one touches the girl.

Tri-klops first examined the girl by eye, focusing on everything not covered by her clothing. Besides the visual appearance, most of her outward characteristics were consistent with human features. He had been surprised to find the three pairs of retractable teeth. They weren’t fangs because they weren’t hollow; they were more likely for doing quick damage by ripping the flesh. They were interesting to find because most species, animal and humanoid, who possessed teeth of the sort usually had accompanying claws meant to hold prey while the teeth did their job.

Finishing with his external examine, which Evil-lyn had thankfully kept quiet through, Tri-klops performed multiple full body scans and was surprised again by what he found. The makeup and arrangement of her organ systems was all wrong, some possessing extra features and others that should have been present were non-existent. The heart was as large as would be commonly found in a male twice her size, and the organ possessed six chambers. The lungs seemed normal but there was no diaphragm, begging the question, how did she breathe? They were covered by a dual set of ribs and cartilage, which seemed almost like an internal shield, even more efficient at protecting the heart than a human’s ribcage.

The gallbladder, appendix, spleen, and kidneys were all gone, an oversized liver and stomach and a small unidentifiable organ occupied the mostly vacant body cavity. There was only one relatively short intestine and her reproductive system was completely a mystery, nothing quite looking like it should.  

Her bones were strong but light and hollow like a bird’s. _She probably weighs very little._ There were nodules on her shoulder blades that looked like the remains of old joints, which was strange to say the least. There were markings along her wrist and hand bones that he could not identify, and the same markings were also present on her ankle and foot bones.

He was brought out of his intense concentration by, “Having a good time?”

“I am merely performing a medical examination.”

“Uh-huh. I’ve never seen you look so interested in a subject before. Oh, but I’m sure it’s just because of what you are finding on the **inside** ,” and she emphasized the last word. Tri-klops decided not to let it bother him and finished his examination by taking her blood, which was a viscous, black fluid. Evil-lyn, who had come over to have a closer look, said, “Hmm. I take it back. Maybe her insides are just as interesting to you.”

He gave the witch an unamused look and then began to clean her head wound. It was one long gash that wasn’t too deep and didn’t require any stitches thankfully. He washed the dried blood out of her hair and had the witch repair her torn garment since Skeletor was looking forward to seeing his ‘New Pet’. _I should have left it so Beastman would get punished_. The sorcerer was liable to lash out at anyone when angry though, so Tri-klops decided against that idea. _I can’t take another beating right now_. The appearance of the collar had made his boss happy so Evil-lyn had been permitted to heal Tri-klops’ ribs. That had helped immensely, especially since the girl had been brought in to be examined right afterwards, but every part of him still ached.

As if conjured by his thoughts, Skeletor’s impatient voice rang out through the halls and rooms of Snake Mountain, “Hurry up, Tinkerer. I haven’t all day to be waiting on you.”

Tri-klops gave a grunt of annoyance and went to retrieve the newly constructed collar from his workbench. He replaced her necklace with the much larger collar and inserting the stone, watched as the chain of the necklace snapped into place inside the band he had gouged of its own volition. Afterwards, the collar shrunk to fit her neck snuggly but not so tight as to hinder any movement. The stone gave a soft pulse of warm, blue energy and then lay quiet.

Everything was in order except for how to transport her. He wished one of the others had remained behind, but they were all already in the throne room waiting, and there was no time. _This is going to hurt, but less than being late when Skeletor is waiting on you._ Tri-klops picked her up one arm under her knees and the other across her back. _I was right, she weighs nothing._

He moved slowly trying not to lean her against him too much as to avoid the bruises. Evil-lyn followed him out and they made their way toward the throne room from his lab. Tri-klops couldn’t help but study her again as they walked and this time his thoughts were less intellectual and more instinctual. He examined every line and curve of her face, each one sharp and yet still somehow soft. She had long, deep black eyelashes that swept outward from her closed lids in perfect arcs. Her lips were slack, seemingly at peace with her momentary state of unconsciousness and through it all she never even stirred.

 _She truly is beautiful._ Tri-klops stopped immediately, shaking his head to rid himself of such a foolish thought.

“Something wrong?” asked Evil-lyn.

“No…”

“Then get moving. Skeletor seems even more impatient than usual.”

Tri-klops didn’t respond instead doing as she had instructed and finally arriving in the throne room. He made his way up to Skeletor’s throne, ascended the stairs, and placed her on the flat area opposite the one Panthor, Skeletor’s huge purple pet panther, occupied. He grabbed a chain that had been newly attached to the throne and hooked it around the center ring on the back of the collar. The hook sealed into place so like the collar it couldn’t be removed except by him, Skeletor, or Evil-lyn. Returning to the bottom of the throne, Tri-klops waited patiently until the girl began to wake.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tris first realized she was in someplace new by the variety of smells. Some were pleasant like the smell of ash and embers; it reminded her a little of home. There was also the smell of men and one of them in particular had a delightful aroma. She hadn’t smelt anything, or anyone for that matter, that good since Buzz-off. Ruining it all though, was a terrible stink that was suspiciously like someone needed a shower. It made her nose crinkle instantly, but there was no escaping that assaulting scent.

The next thing she noticed was the comforting presence of heat surrounding her from every direction. It was coming foremost from the hard surface her body rested against, but she could feel the warmth and humidity thick in the air. It was helping to soothe her pounding head, which felt like it had been smashed against a wall, and that was when she remembered what had happened at the town. _Yeah, someone did hit me._ Tris groaned as recognition returned and slowly rose until she found herself staring directly at a faceless man sitting on a giant throne right next to her.

He did not say anything, but he stared at her intently and she stared right back into his empty eye sockets. Tris wasn’t sure what was happening, until she felt the solid piece of metal around her neck. It was heavy and the girl turned to see it was attached to his throne by a long, silver chain that only added to its weight. Turning back, the sorcerer, prompted by her understanding of the situation, had the most wicked smile on his face that could ever have been imagined, especially for someone who lacked the basic facial features necessary to show emotion.

“Hello, my pet. So nice of you to join us.” He looked at her a moment longer and then started to laugh. It was a loud cackle that caused her to shiver from the unbridled intensity. That laugh told Tris everything she needed to know; Skeletor was evil, insane, and she… was in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) Thanks for reading. Please R and R.


	10. Scream For Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read this story and shown some love. You guys are the best! Also, take notice of the warning on this chapter because it is sad and dark. I do not shy away from pain, gore, and torture in my stories, but… they always get better eventually!
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Graphic displays of torture and mild sexual sadism.

****_Snake Mountain._

Tris surveyed the apparent throne room with keen interest, knowing it was best to take in everything she could about her new surroundings before anything happened. All the furniture was literally carved from the rock that made up the floor and walls. From her very short time lying on it, she was hyper aware of how uncomfortable it was. _Well, at least it’s not cold._ Snake Mountain resided in the dark hemisphere and was surrounded by volcanic activity. Being so close to fire was a nice change from the royal palace in Eternos; it made her feel more at home instantly.

 _Skeletor seems to enjoy a little flamboyancy,_ she thought in regards to the collar and her being on display for his warriors. It didn’t really matter to her; she had been the subject of intense scrutiny her entire life, but Tris did appreciate the opportunity to survey them all in turn.

The crab-man and the furry man, who she remembered had been called Beastman, were not new to her, although the girl realized now that the stink was coming from him. She hadn’t smelled it in the town but guessed here it had already permeated the walls with no way to escape.

Her gaze shifted to a large, blue man whose metal armor and attachments reminded her of Mekaneck’s except his looked much more deadly. _He is probably the one who hit me_ , she realized after seeing the metal appendage that stood in place of a natural arm. His lower jaw was also made entirely of metal and his face was a bright shade of green that didn’t match the rest of his body.

There was a large, green male who looked similar to a reptilian species she had known during her own time. His eyes were a beautiful deep gold with the characteristic black slit of a reptile for a pupil, but the rest of him was unremarkable so she turned her attention to the only woman in the room. Her clothes suggested warrior but Tris knew she was also a sorceress by the staff she wielded. _The woman is beautiful_ , she thought, her libido in overdrive from her previous lackluster feedings _._ It had been a mark of great beauty in her society to possess pale, white skin and although the sorceress’ skin was not white enough, it was still attractive. The purple garment she wore hugged her curves nicely and accentuated her chest without revealing too much. Her face was plastered with a smug look that said, ‘I’m beautiful, powerful and I know it.’

The last man was also very nice to look at although right now his body was covered in healing stab wounds and large bluish-purple bruises, which appeared to be about a day old. He was tall, at least six feet, with a well-defined chest. His armor was a vibrant, forest green that protected mostly his upper body and shoulders. A black kilt covered his lower half and it had green pieces of cloth on the sides that matched his armor. There were silver and gold accents that gave the outfit a more regal quality and it was completed with black boots.

He wore a piece of equipment around his head and face that blocked the view of his eyes. Tris was unsure what it was for, but it did not detract from his overall appearance. She also noticed that he was the one who smelled great, and sniffing the air in his direction caused her whole body to light up at his scent. It was a woody smell that reminded her of the forest, but there was also a hint of musk as well. He was definitely human but there was something about the way he smelled that was almost intoxicating.

She turned her attention back to Skeletor choosing to inspect his figure first. His body was hardened from combat and the very air was heavy with his power. His blue skin was different from anyone else’s she had ever seen and worked well with his battle garment. Even without flesh to his face, overall there was something attractive about him. The look he gave her was lascivious. _He is undressing me with his eyes already._ It didn’t bode well for her situation, but Tris couldn’t help but feel another spike of arousal at his gaze even though he was her captor.

 _Oh, I’m so hungry and how am I going to feed now?_ There were only two men in the room who attracted her and she really didn’t think it was wise to lie with Skeletor. It proposed possibilities for escape but insanity was usually a quality she tried to avoid in the men she allowed to touch her body. The other male with the interesting head gear was definitely the better choice but he seemed angry with her for some reason. The way he was looking at her was definitely in an unfriendly manner.

 _I’m not sure how Skeletor would feel about me having sex with one of his subordinates either._ Before anything was to be done, she needed to know more about all of them and if they had information about her stones as well. The girl was already certain it was best to avoid Beastman; he looked at her like he was thinking sex **and** food, which was not a good combination.

“Do you know where you are?” asked Skeletor.

“Snake Mountain,” she replied softly.

“And you know who I am?”

“Skeletor,” the word came out even softer.

“ **Lord** Skeletor. And these are my Evil Warriors,” he said gesturing at the group. “Do you know of them?”

“No.”

“Oh, but you will,” he replied in a tone that was undoubtedly a threat. “Now that we’re all acquainted, we shall get down to business. You are going to answer my questions. When I’m done, you will either be carried out of here to a dungeon or you shall remain here on this nice area I’ve had prepared for you.” He waited a moment for her to understand the more obvious threat and then began. “How old are you?”

It was a strange first question but she didn’t see any harm in answering it. “I have seen one hundred and two of your years.”

“How long were you imprisoned in the stone?”

Tris hesitated, not sure how much he actually knew about her. When she took too long his eyes glowed red and figuring it meant he was angry, she decided to tell the truth, “I’m not sure exactly… but it was at least 2500 years,” and he appeared surprised by her answer. _Good. Maybe he doesn’t know much._

“Who put you in the stone and why?”

“The queen of another city; she accused me of sleeping with her husband.” It was close enough to the truth that she was sure it would pass whatever they were using to test the validity of her answers. Skeletor just seemed amused by it.

“And did you?”

“No.”

“So why did the woman accuse you?” he asked with what sounded like genuine interest.

“Her husband cheated on her frequently only she did not know with whom nor did the woman want to admit it was happening. He had previously propositioned me but I refused him. When she finally confronted him about his adultery he said he had only been with me.”

“Smart man. He kept his whores safe and got rid of someone who had rejected him.” He seemed to think for a moment. “Sounds truthful enough. Good. Now, what kind of creature are you?”

 _I was hoping he would not ask_ , which was completely improbable; of course he would want to know.“I am… a mix of three species that you are not familiar with as they died out long ago.” It was vague and they both knew it.

“And what are they?” he asked impatiently.

Tris didn’t answer and wasn’t going to because she didn’t know what kind of information they already had. She did not believe they had located her by mere coincidence so that meant they knew something. _I’m getting carried out of here._

“Are you refusing to answer my question?” He took her continued silence as an affirmation of her refusal.

His left claw flexed outward in a blur and bit deep into her right shoulder. She let out a hiss of pain in response, and then cried out as he started to rake his claw down her arm tearing the flesh in long jagged lines. Tris managed not to pull away because there was a large risk of making the wound even worse if she did.

“What are the three species you are a mixture of?” he asked again. Skeletor recognized that this line of questioning was not going to be answered and that wasn’t advantageous for them. If she refused to answer historical questions, then they weren’t going to have a chance of getting any real information out of her. For some reason, he didn’t mind right now; he was actually… content for the moment as he found he really wanted to hurt her. After all, he could always have Evil-lyn heal the girl and they could start all over again.

Using his claw again, the sorcerer widened the tears that had just been made. This time she screamed but still did not pull away. He repeated the act until bone could be seen and the fragile girl collapsed to the ground twitching. She wasn’t crying but she did whimper and it excited him even more. _Her pain is like an aphrodisiac to me._

The pain was blinding. The flesh of her arm was a tattered ruin and the last few scratches had left gouges in the bone. Mercy could only come in the form of unconsciousness but stubbornly, she did not fade into the blissful darkness. Her body was screaming for her to heal herself and the more instinctual part of her brain agreed but that was not an option. Healing herself would give her aggressor more reason to continue the session. For now, the girl would endure the pain and hopefully, later she would be left alone to think in the dungeons.

“Evil-lyn? Come heal her enough so she may sit up again.” Evil-lyn walked up the throne and did as he asked. It was an easy enough task for the seasoned magician although costly to the witch’s own energy stores. The girl rose up quickly probably not fully understanding what had happened. “Evil-lyn will heal you, Girl. I will torture you for as long as I please and she will heal you over and over again. Give me the information I require or I will continue.”

The girl looked at him defiantly and through clenched teeth she challenged, “Then do it.”

Her snappy retort caught him by surprise, but then again many thought they could handle torture until it actually began. “As you wish.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tri-klops turned away the first time the girl screamed, switching his forward facing eye in the process so it appeared as if he had been intrigued by something else. He would have tortured someone himself to get the information they needed, but for some reason the girl’s pained cries bothered him. Evil-lyn stared at him with a discerning look on her face and not wanting to look weak in front of his comrades, the warrior turned back to watch, pretending nothing was wrong.

It continued on for how long he did not know, but Skeletor did not seem as though he would slow down anytime soon. Quite some time into it, Skeletor stopped questioning her and was torturing her just to do it. He appeared to be enjoying himself excessively so. The scientist gave the girl a lot of credit though, because she never once begged him to stop nor did she cry. _The girl is tougher than she looks._  

Finished with her arms, their master turned his attention to the expanse of toned muscle that was her stomach. One finger was drawn down the exposed flesh slowly over and over again creating the appearance of mesh. When he ran out of room to make new cuts, Skeletor went back to deepen the old ones. The girl passed out several times throughout, but Evil-lyn healed her just enough to allow her to scream some more.

He watched with indifference to the actions because it was nowhere near the worst thing he had seen in his life, but the piteous noises she was making made him feel uncomfortable. They became lower and lower in pitch as her throat and vocal cords were continually irritated. Skeletor finally seemed satisfied when she became too hoarse to make any noise at all, and she lie there lightly convulsing on the floor.

Afterwards, Evil-lyn was commanded to heal her just enough to make sure she wasn’t going to die, and Skeletor ordered Tri-klops to take her to the dungeons. He took her to the cell that had been redesigned just for her, now with multiple hooks in the walls with medium-length chains, which would be attached to her collar. The door was not only bolted but magically sealed as well so there was no chance for her to escape. It also had a bed unlike all the other cells, although it was really just a long piece of flat rock. _I guess she will be staying with us for quite some time._

Tri-klops had brought one of his own sheets for her to lie on top of so the rock wouldn’t rub against her torn skin. He respected her more now, if only minutely, after seeing the way she had conducted herself during the torture. In his mind, the girl had earned the right to at least rise in the morning without dirt and rocks inside the slices Skeletor had made. Trying to be gentle, he lay her down but she still whimpered at first contact with the rough surface. The scientist was attaching one of the chains to her collar when a warm hand touched his unexpectedly. The girl whispered, “Thanks,” and then slowly rolled over to face the wall.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After the green-armored warrior left, Tris assessed her injuries and found them to be generally cosmetic. Evil-lyn had healed all of the internal injuries she had sustained, and now there were only tears left in her muscles and skin. She did not have much energy to spare, but luckily for her Skeletor had gotten excited during the torture, which had allowed her to feed. It wasn’t enough but it would help her begin to heal the deepest wounds.

Tris slept on and off throughout the night but her body kept her awake as moving the slightest bit would cause sharp pains everywhere. Someone came in periodically, probably checking on her, and each time the smell identified the visitor as the one who had carried her here, but she never turned around to look at him.

There was a brief period when no one showed up and then there was a new visitor. “Twirly has gotten bored of checking on me already?” she asked, her voice still rough from the ordeal.

“Twirly?” the sorceress asked in confusion.

Tris pointed a single finger at her head, and then moved it in a swirling motion. Although much of those hours had been lost as she drifted in and out of unconsciousness, Tris had registered and been highly intrigued when his attachment had moved in such a manner.

She heard a short burst of what seemed like genuine laughter from the other women. “I will have to remember to tell Tri-klops you called him that. I can see the look on his face now.” She gave another chuckle before her tone turned serious, although the voice was still low and sensual, “Skeletor has sent him to get that fool Mer-man. He got himself captured by your beloved Masters, and is now held within the palace.”

“They are not my beloved anything,” the girl replied with a twinge of reproach.

“Good. That is what I wish to talk to you about.” That caught Tris’ attention and she finally rolled over slowly to face Evil-lyn. “I’m wondering what your views are on this whole situation?”

“I do not understand the query.”

“Well, you have seen their side. You know they fight for peace and justice for all,” the sorceress exclaimed dramatically. “Blah Blah Blah. Makes me sick. Undoubtedly they told you about us and you should know that whatever they said may or may not be truthful. What I can tell you is that we wish to rule Eternia, and I think you can be an asset to our side.”

“Yes, because Skeletor has been such a gracious ‘master’ up until now,” she said sarcastically. “I’m pretty sure it is in my best interest to stay neutral in this war. Besides I do not wish to rule anyone nor save them for that matter.”

“Too bad. Skeletor has enjoyed torturing you more than he does any of us. I’m sure it won’t be the last time,” and her words sounded so sweet as if they were not a threat. “See you soon,” and the door closed behind her automatically with a soft click.

* * *

Twirly, or Tri-klops as she had recently learned, returned to checking up on her in what she could only assume from the windowless cell to be the next morning. He brought her food that did not look appetizing at all even with her stomach growling it’s emptiness in anguish. When he went to set the tray down in front of her, she noticed for the first time that his head gear actually contained three orbs evenly spaced apart instead of just one. _Maybe they are his eyes_. “Why do you where that thing on your face?” she asked in what may have been considered terrible social etiquette, but she was curious.

“None of your business. Now eat.” He shoved the tray into her hands and looked at her expectantly until she took a bite. Just as expected, the taste was unappealing, the smell was worse, and the burning she felt as it moved down her throat and into her stomach made her want to vomit.

“It’s awful.”

“Too bad. Eat it.”

“Why do you care?”

“If you die from hunger, Skeletor will not be pleased. I might find myself in your place.”

Changing the subject, she asked, “What happened to cause such damage to your body?”

“Nothing.” He left her with the nasty food, which would remain in its current locale indefinitely because she wasn’t going to touch it again. _Well he certainly is gruff,_ she thought, wondering if he was that short with everyone or just her.

Tris didn’t have much time to ponder, however, because Tri-klops came back less than an hour later to take her to Skeletor. The tyrant didn’t even put up the pretense of needing information from her before he started reopening the healing wounds. She knew it probably didn’t make a difference because he just wanted to feel her pain, but she wished she knew what he wanted. He was no longer asking her questions and so, she didn’t know how to appease him and make this all stop.

It wasn’t as though she hadn’t ever been tortured before because she had, but it was obviously not a pleasant experience. The only thing to do was to try and understand your torturer better to avoid angering or exciting them in some manner. She was trying to pay as close attention as possible to Skeletor’s behavior in case there was useful information to be gained. For right now, all she knew was that he liked to see her body writhe and arch in pain with each brush of his claws. However, to remain still during such a time was almost impossible.

There was also wisdom and strategy in protecting the mind even if the body could not be saved. Tris remained as calm as possible, studying everything being done to her and the expressions of all the warriors present. It was clear to her that Tri-klops and the large blue man were not thrilled with watching her go through this. Evil-lyn was completely indifferent to it while Beastman was aroused. _Disgusting_ , she thought trying to draw her focus away from the feeling of a claw moving around inside of her body.

When the hand withdrew, she thought it might finally be over for now, but that was not the case. After he was thoroughly satisfied that his claws had been used to their fullest, Skeletor switched to using his teeth. The first bite left a distinctive mark, and caused her to cry out with renewed vigor. _Heal, heal!_ her mind screamed, but she wouldn’t because it would make all this for naught. The puncture wounds from his long canines filled with blood as she watched with clenched teeth and gasped harshly for breathe. 

Tris soon came to realize that her primal vocalizations spurred him on and each one was accompanied by a spike in the sexual energy of the room. Holding back the noise was not easy, but she succeeded up until his latest bite. Instead of releasing her, this time he pulled backwards viciously taking a lump of her muscle with him. There were no words for the level of pain that hit her in that moment and fortunately, she passed out.

* * *

It was never ending. The torture was never ending. Skeletor would send his silent warrior to come get her and then he would abuse her body. Sometimes there were questions but many times it just seemed to make him happy. Each time he would try a new way of hurting her, with his claws or teeth and sometimes with objects she didn’t even recognize. He seemed to enjoy taking chunks of flesh from her body the most. Everywhere that was private was left untouched though and that was a small blessing if nothing else.

Evil-lyn would be called in to heal her, making sure none of the damage to her body would be permanent, and then Tri-klops would take her back to her cell. It lasted that way for what she thought was about a week. Then, the last few days, Skeletor had truly brought her to the brink of death before the female magician was allowed to heal her. It was almost as if the man was torn; keeping her alive was important to him for some reason but a part of him wanted to feel her last breath as it rattled out, knowing that he was the one who had stolen her life from her.

Each time Skeletor would give off sexual energy during her torture and that was the only reason the girl still lived. At times she was also able to feed off him and Evil-lyn, who seemed to lust after each other frequently. The amount of energy they had been throwing off suggested they were not sleeping together, which was strange since they acted as if there was history between them. Whatever the reason, she consumed the energy they released so as to maintain her health but her body suffered. She had grown weak from hunger and was starting to lose weight from not eating the food they gave her. Her stomach, thighs, and arms were no longer toned because her body had consumed her muscle trying to stay alive.

Tri-klops had yelled at her to ‘just eat the damn food’ more than once. He said he didn’t care if it tasted awful, and that dying over such a petty thing was moronic. _They do not understand._ She wasn’t stupid, she knew letting herself starve was a bad idea. Tris also knew there was the possibility that she might die, but despite what some may have thought, that was not her intention. She just couldn’t make herself eat it. Food was a delicacy, sacred, meant to provide life and be savored; that was what she had always been taught. All forms of energy were meant to be treated this way, and the girl couldn’t consume something for which she had such revulsion. She just couldn’t… but there were consequences.

Too weak to rise one morning, Tri-klops had to give her some kind of liquid food through a tube directly into her blood stream, and afterwards he had begun to force feed her whenever she couldn’t fight him. Tris started to feel better from the food he was putting in her, but she loathed it.

When Tri-klops came to get her that day, she simply snuggled into the momentary warmth his body provided. Her life had become monotonous and part of her was actually getting used to it. “Tri-klops? How many days has it been?” Silence was the only answer received, which she knew it would be because he never responded to any of her questions. The only time he spoke was to inform her of a specific situation if necessary, and even then he was terse and always sounded angry.

When they arrived in the throne room, Skeletor was in a good mood. Apparently he had sent Trap-jaw on a mission a few days ago and was confident it would be a success. Tri-klops set her down next to Skeletor’s throne and attached a chain to her collar. Tris grabbed his hand until his eyes met her own, and she stared for what seemed like an eternity, finally letting him go without saying anything.

Skeletor began by lightly scraping his claws against her skin, and knowing it would only progress from there, Tris receded into her own mind trying to ignore what was happening to her. She was pleasantly surprised, however, when the latest torture session actually ended prematurely. A little ways in she heard Tri-klops’ voice through a fog, “Skeletor. Trap-jaw has found something.”

“Beastman, gather the steeds. Tri-klops, take her back to her room.”

Room?! Yeah right, she thought incredulously. Tri-klops did as he was told and left her in a hurry, although he had still tried to be gentle when putting her down. So far everyone at Snake Mountain had ignored what Skeletor was doing to her, not like she thought they would stop him anyways. It bothers Tri-klops though. The man had discomfort written on his face whenever Skeletor made her scream. He was the only one that had tried to make her more comfortable. He is always in a bad mood though. Never answers any of my questions, she thought hazily as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I broke the original chapter up again because I feel like it makes more sense this way. There should be a break between the beginning and eventual end of the torture. Also, I truly believe that Skeletor is a sadist given what we see in the show and he is evil, lest we forget, but do not be too angry with him. Tris is a pragmatic creature and remember, we haven’t actually seen any anger from her at the situation. Hmm?


	11. Master and Servant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very different from the original even though it gets to the same place. I’ve tried to give a lot more insight into the characters thoughts while all of this is happening. Let me know what you think. Please R and R.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-None

Tris awoke this morning feeling better than she had since arriving at Snake Mountain, mostly due to the fact that Skeletor had been too preoccupied to deal with her the past few days. It was a nice reprieve from her newly acquired lifestyle, but she doubted it would last long. _Although, maybe if I offered him something, he would leave me be._

More and more Tris thought about Evil-lyn’s bid for her to join their side, and she was considering it. The most obvious reason for her to do so being that Skeletor would not actively torture her anymore, punish sure, but not torture. Aside from that though, she had been looking for a place to call home and Snake Mountain wasn’t so bad.

If she did stay, she probably wouldn’t have to do much; most likely just stay out of everyone’s way and maybe swear fealty to Skeletor, or whatever the equivalent was in this time. That honestly didn’t bother her at all; she had been both master and servant in her life, and while she cared little for either preferring to be left alone instead, she favored the life of a servant. It could be a harsh way to live and some of your freedoms were taken away, but more often than not simpler and quieter. _Is that what I want?_

Thinking about it for a while led her to only one possible answer, _I don’t know._ Past and present occurrences had taught her that being alone was easier on her heart than trying to fit in where she was not welcome. Instantly the Masters came to mind, and then a second later her body thrummed with life at the thought of Buzz-off. It was an entirely pleasant feeling as she pictured his confident stride and amused smirk, both directed at her as he closed the distance between them.

Tris physically shook the mental image from her head wondering why such a feeling had come on so quickly and strongly; after all they had only been together one time. The feeling stayed though and as much as she tried to understand it, she just couldn’t. It was soon followed by sorrow, the realization that she would never again be with him paining her as though they had been more than simple lovers. That realization also let her know that she could never actually join Skeletor; she would not betray the Masters even with how they had treated her.

So that left her contemplating her situation all over again. For right now Tris was stuck here, and none of Snake Mountain’s residents were giving up any information relevant to her. _Plan of attack: stop the torture, find out if they have got my stones or not, and then get out of here._ _Easier thought then done._

* * *

More than anything, Tri-klops just wanted to be left alone after the long day he had just had, but first he needed to speak with Evil-lyn. For all their effort and planning, neither Skeletor nor the witch had made any headway with the girl, and he was tired of taking care of her. They needed to come up with a better plan than their current one so that they could finally dispose of her, and then he could return to his solitude.

Luckily for him, the older woman was already in the lower levels of Snake Mountain, which would grant them the privacy he wanted for this conversation. “Evil-lyn,” he rumbled gaining her attention, “It has been over a month. My patience has worn thin with this entire situation.”

Evil-lyn knew immediately what he spoke of and decided to tease him about it as she was in a delightful mood. “What’s the matter? Don’t like to hear your girlfriend screaming, Twirly?” cooed the sorceress. She had not missed his behavior during the girl’s torture sessions; his body language had given his uneasiness away. He was only lucky that Skeletor had not picked up on it in his own distracted fervor.

“Do **not** call me that,” he said in a cold voice worthy of Skeletor himself. “She is not ‘my anything,’ and I am not a babysitter. I have other things to do and taking care of that wretched girl is using up my time. Something needs to be done or she is going to die from starvation anyways. I will not continue to force feed her.”

“You will do as Skeletor tells you,” was her only reply.

Choosing to ignore that comment he said, “You cannot tell me it is not demeaning; Skeletor using you as the girl’s private healer?” The scientist knew the phrasing of his statement would bother her; she was too proud for it not to. To himself, he admitted that he wanted the girl’s torture to end not only so he could resume his work, but also to stop hearing the agonized screaming inside his own head.

“No. You are right, but he is enjoying himself. Never has the man left any one of us unharmed for such a length of time.”

“That fact doesn’t make this situation any less annoying. Think of something to do so we may get the information from this girl faster and then we can be done with her.” He walked away and Evil-lyn stared after him knowing his words made sense. _But what to do about it?_

* * *

Mekaneck was sitting alone in the dining hall at a table in the far corner finishing his morning meal. He had mostly gotten back to his normal self but still thought about Tris every once in a while. Mostly friendly with all the Masters again, he noticed no one even spoke her name anymore. Despite that fact, many things reminded him of her and he often found himself wondering about the reasons why she had left, which was the case right now. The girl had been awakened after so long that no one alive today remembered her people so what could she possible have to do? _It is strange._

His eyes wandered while he thought, roaming the hall in apathy until they landed on the sight of Buzz-off’s lone and withered form. The Andreenid leader had yet to recover his usual demeanor, and unlike Mekaneck, was sitting alone because no one was willing to associate with him. As bad as it had been initially, it had gotten worse for the Andreenid when a copy of the transmission had spread around Eternia. More people had seen it in full, including some of the Masters, despite Man-at-Arms quick interference to destroy it for good.

Mekaneck, although insanely curious, couldn’t find it in himself to watch the transmission. It was an invasion of privacy that he didn’t wish to commit, and some part of him was sure to be a little disturbed by what he saw. _Still, how would I feel if the situation were reversed?_ Sighing, the younger warrior stood up with his tray and made his way over to Buzz-off’s empty table. “Hey, Buzz. Can I sit with you?”

The older warrior looked up at Mekaneck’s words, surprised that someone was speaking to him let alone asking to sit with him. “Okay,” was all he could manage to say in response to the unexpected request. He chose to keep quiet after that but was slightly relieved that somebody was finally not ignoring him. Unfortunately, it seemed as though Mekaneck didn’t know what to say either and they sat for a while in strained silence.

Finally, the other warrior spoke. “Look. I’m not going to pretend that this isn’t awkward and try to have a normal conversation with you. So… how are you?” Mekaneck knew the other man would understand the real question being asked. It just felt like the only thing to say.

 _What do I say to that?_ He wasn’t the type of person to get emotional or spill all his feelings to someone else but he felt… alone. Being around the Masters was bad but being around his own people was even worse. He no longer felt comfortable in his own home. When he first learned that Tris had left, his only thoughts were of relief. Things would surely go back to normal then, but his life had only gotten worse. “Not good.”

Mekaneck knew it was difficult for someone with so much pride to admit that. “Is it because of… her or everyone else?” he asked curious to know what Buzz-off was thinking.

“Both.” He kept his answers short because he was grateful for the company and did not wish to push the younger warrior away, but he also didn’t want to discuss Tris with anyone.

“I miss her,” said Mekaneck softly.

“I wish she had never come here,” Buzz-off said sharply. The surprised youth looked at him trying to see if the words were true and his face said yes, but gradually it changed to one of confusion and pain. “I just want everything to be as it was but… I miss her too.” It hadn’t taken him long after her departure to realize that that was true, he did miss her. It was strange because they had spent very little time together, even if it had been rather intimate. He shouldn’t miss her, he shouldn’t have even really felt much for her, but undeniably, he did. Tris had made him feel complete when before her he hadn’t even known that something was missing from his life.

Both men stayed quiet throughout the rest of their meal preferring to lose themselves in their own heads. Many thoughts and sad memories later, they both felt better and worse by the time they left for patrol.

* * *

 _Hopefully, not for much longer will I have to do this._ Tri-klops’ mood had leveled off by the time he returned to the cell later on that day. The girl was finally sitting up even though her body was still riddled with wounds, both new and old. There were bruises in different states of healing, and her muscles were probably stiff from not moving around enough. _She heals quickly though; the latest wounds look weeks old already, not days._

“I’m not eating that nasty food.”

“You are a pain,” he said unpleasantly. There was a good chance she would become unable to move soon if her refusal to eat kept up for any appreciable amount of time.

“What has you so grouchy, oh wait, you’re always like that.”

 _Still snappy even when she is only a hair’s breathe away from death._ “Mind your own business and stop talking for a change. Your incessant chatter is annoying.” Tri-klops was not big on talking to anyone let alone to someone who confused him so much. On the one hand she angered him with her behavior, while on the other, and even though he fervently denied that his mind did, his body lusted after her lithe form.

“You need to lighten up a bit, you know that?”

His visor swirled so that the yellow orb faced her and he fired a shot right next to her face. She gasped and then groaned in pain as her body was moved too quickly for the state it was in. “And you need to remember who you are talking to.” He walked out fuming again.

_If one more person tells me to lighten up, I’ll kill them._

* * *

”Skeletor. We must talk about the girl.”

“Yes?” He asked unenthusiastically, once again brooding over their recent defeat at the hands of the Masters.

“I believe we are approaching this situation incorrectly. The girl does not seem to be inherently evil, but she doesn’t seem to care about the Masters’ side either. She may be more cooperative if we treat her more like one of us.”

“You believe she may be more forthcoming if she feels welcome?” he asked genuinely interested now.

“Yes, my lord. We can have her do stuff around Snake Mountain, allow her some freedoms. Convince her we are starting to accept her as one of us. She seemed perfectly happy to remain with the Masters, and I believe it’s because they brought her into their group. It will be a slow manipulation but I am sure it will work.”

“What makes you think this can be accomplished now after all that has transpired?” Skeletor was doubtful of Evil-lyn’s advice as he thought the best course of action was to just tell the girl they had the stones and force her to spill their secrets. _Although, she did not give any information away during the torture._

“I was thinking of modifying the spell on her collar so that it confines her to the walls of Snake Mountain. It will allow her to move about freely but there will be no risk of her escaping. Eventually, it will become like normal life for her, and I doubt she’ll ignore everyone forever.” Evil-lyn had been thinking about this since her initial conversation with the girl and her behavior ever since. She didn’t really seem to hate any of them for what they had done; it was almost like the girl was just tired.

“We shall try it your way then. We are getting nowhere torturing her, though I do enjoy it,” he said with a reminiscing look. His face turned to Evil-lyn’s remembering how he had once manipulated her body in ways far more pleasurable than torture.

The witch almost shivered under her master’s gaze but managed to keep her face and body neutral. “I know, my lord. I am sure this will work though. I will heal her and lay the new spell immediately.”

“Bring her to me as soon as you are finished. I will inform the others of the change of plans.”

She nodded and left him, thinking about all the feelings that were being expressed by not only her but Skeletor as well since this girl had shown up. There had always been a certain amount of tension between them, but this was different. Skeletor was showing interest in both her and the girl, which surprisingly enough angered her.

The girl in question was sitting up looking like her pain had subsided a bit when Evil-lyn arrived at the cell. She didn’t say anything but pointed her staff and allowed the healing spell to fully envelope the scrawny thing. It was not the normal purple color she was used to seeing but instead appeared a little darker. _Strange._ When it was done the girl stood up slowly running her hands up and down her own body.

“Why would you do that?” she asked suspiciously.

 _Well, the girl’s not completely daft._ “Skeletor’s orders. I’m to bring you to him, now.”

Tris knew there were no other options but something told her that this was either very good or very bad. “ **You** are going to carry me?” Something seemed off about this situation as they never let her move about freely. It was unusual that the woman was here instead of Tri-klops; the green-armored warrior always carried her everywhere.

 _Well, maybe she is dumb._ Out loud Evil-lyn said, “Don’t be stupid,” in an annoyed voice. Her eyes glowed with magic and Tris felt the collar begin to heat up. It wasn’t hurting so she stood there letting the sorceress do her spell. “Good. Now come along.”

“What did you do to the collar?” the girl asked curiously.

“I modified the spell on it. Skeletor will explain.” Tris followed the other woman out, heading toward what she now knew was the direction of the throne room.

“Modified it? What did it do before?”

Evil-lyn looked shocked by her question. “It prevented you from using your magic against us. You really never tried to hurt any of us?”

“No. I just figured it was so Skeletor could have me feel like his pet. He seems to like calling me that.” Tris had known that there was some kind of spell on the collar as it pulsed against her skin, but she had figured it was just a simple spell to keep her from removing it. It had never even occurred to her to try and harm her captors; her magic wasn’t powerful enough to fight them all off at the moment. Skeletor’s power thrummed along her skin whenever she was within fifty feet of him, so he alone would be a challenge even with her power at full strength.

Evil-lyn was considering everything she knew about the girl. _I can’t believe she didn’t want to escape. Maybe we are overestimating her powers._ The witch tried to feel the girl’s presence but she was magically dead. It didn’t make sense since the collar only prohibited her from doing magic against them, it didn’t cut off the ability. _It isn’t a fascination spell that attracts the men like I had thought._ _One more reason we must play nice and figure this girl out._

When they entered the throne room, everyone was already gathered including who Tris assumed was Mer-man since she had never seen him before. His skin was comprised of orange scales and he gave the impression of being some sort of sea dweller. He grinned at her as she walked by, and Tris admired the multitude of jagged teeth that lined his jaws.

Evil-lyn stopped by the throne gesturing for Tris to stand next to her and she looked up at Skeletor expectantly. “Come here, girl.” She made her way up the throne not knowing what he could possibly want as this treatment was totally different from everything she had come to expect from him. “I have decided that you will no longer be my prisoner…”

Tris couldn’t help but smirk at her easy victory; she hadn’t done anything other than outlast him and they were both well aware of it. “Giving up already, Master,” she said mocking him even though it was far from wise.

Skeletor growled as he grabbed her and lifted her off the ground by a single hand around her throat. “Never interrupt me while I am speaking, and do not presume that this changes anything. I am still the ruler here,” and he dropped her. She stood back up, the insolent smirk now gone from her face, which satisfied him for the moment. He wanted nothing more than to lay waste to her slender body like he had so many times before, but he refrained remembering their plans and that she had other uses besides just torture. “While you remain here, you will make yourself useful. You will help my warriors with anything they need and you will clean Snake Mountain from top to bottom. I know how you enjoy cleaning.”

Tris understood his insinuation, remembering he had seen her with Buzz-off in the storage room. His words actually caused a tug low in her stomach and she wondered how her body could still be excited by him after everything he had done to her.

“You will prepare food for my warriors as well. It has been long since anyone has eaten anything appetizing around here. Before you get any ideas of wandering off, the spell on your collar ties you to Snake Mountain for as long as you wear it. Now go and sleep for tonight. You will start your new duties tomorrow.”

“Yes, Lord Skeletor,” she replied hesitantly. Tris had been biding her time here in hopes of finding her stones but no one had mentioned anything. _I’ll never find my stones now unless I can get someone to take the collar off._ She prepared herself for a long stay because no one was going to help her anytime soon.

 _I wonder why such a change of heart._ It was interesting because it was almost like he was trying to get her to fit into their group although it seemed as though she would be everyone’s new servant. That was not what she had intended; serving Skeletor was one thing, serving his minions was another. She would just have to wait and see what Skeletor was actually trying to accomplish with this newfound freedom, if it could be called that, he was granting her.

Walking down the throne, she looked at Tri-klops to see his reaction to the news. He didn’t look surprised and for that matter, neither did anyone else. _He must have informed them all of this decision already. I wonder how they feel about it._

“Tri-klops, escort her back to her room.”

“Yes, Skeletor.” When the swordsmen turned around and Skeletor could no longer see his face, he allowed his impatience to show. “Let’s go, girl.”

“My name… is Tris.” She walked out ahead of him with confidence in every step not bothering to wait for a reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m actually curious to know at this point if you guys like Tris or not.


	12. Skeletor's Needs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love to hear what you guys think about my characters and my writing. I hope you enjoy this new chapter as I find it to be especially entertaining. ;) Please R and R.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-M/F oral sex, language, sexual innuendos.

When Tris woke that morning, she was hungry and stiff but had never felt better. She stretched her entire body languidly from finger tips to toes, and felt as joints popped, muscles contracted, and her spine realigned after the first real night’s sleep she had had in weeks. Her energy level was on the low end of moderate, but she had been able to conserve energy by healing slowly, and it would do for now. It didn’t help that she wasn’t consuming organic based foodstuffs either, but maybe that would change now that she was in charge of meal preparation.

That thought spurred her into action, slim legs carrying her swiftly from the cell and out toward the throne room. Skeletor had stated she would start her new duties today, but she hardly knew what he actually expected of her. Tris highly doubted they had designated meal times like at the palace; it was probably more in line with her own time when everyone fended for themselves and ate privately. Before she had even made it halfway to the throne room, two arms scooped her up from behind unexpectedly. She couldn’t help the surprised look on her face that clearly said that she could not believe someone had brazenly picked her up as if she were their lover. The face she found hovering above her own belong to that of Trap-jaw.

He laughed at the look and said, “You can come with me. I’m sure I will enjoy watching you clean my room.” He strode right passed the throne room and continued on through a maze of tunnels until they ended up in front of a large, bright blue door. Inside the room, he set her down and said, “I try to keep it clean but I’ve been a little behind lately, evil stuff to do and all.”

Tris looked around the room and found it to be…filthy. It wasn’t as if it was dirty per se, but there was just stuff everywhere. Piles of unidentifiable metal scraps littered the floor, and she saw what looked suspiciously like bite marks in some of them. All the tabletops were covered in junk almost as if he never got rid of anything, the bed being the only surface that wasn’t piled high with his possessions. “A little behind,” she replied dryly.

“Yeah. So yer gonna be part of the gang now, huh?”

“No. Apparently, I’m the new maid and everyone’s personal chef.” The girl sat down on the bed next to him with a sigh, “I don’t even know how to cook.” Tris had thought recently that she wouldn’t mind being a servant to an overlord, but this was borderline demeaning considering how far she had fallen from her royal status in her own time.

“Hey look. It ain’t so bad here. I know Skeletor was hard on you to begin with, but now he’ll probably leave you alone unless you make ‘em mad. Just try to avoid ‘em. You can always stay in here with me if you like?” His eyebrows wiggled at her to emphasize the double meaning in his words.

Throaty laughter bubbled up out of her as she got to work, “In this mess? I would probably get lost.” Just from her short time with him, she didn’t actually think Trap-jaw was so bad. He at least seemed to have a sense of humor. Tris turned to ask him where she could put all the stuff cluttering up his tables and she caught him staring at her backside.

“You’ve got a great ass, Babe,” he said not bothering to look ashamed at being caught nor deny it.

She smiled again and replied confidently, “Thank you.” He wasn’t attractive but it was refreshing to talk to someone who wasn’t so uptight, especially when it came to anything that even hinted at sex.

“No problem. Now go wiggle it over there so I can have a better view.” She threw a piece of metal at him, which he dodged easily, and it caused him to laugh again.

“Trap-jaw, I’m going to put all the stuff you don’t need in boxes and stack them up in the corner, okay?”

“Yeah. That’ll work.” From then on she worked in silence only asking him what things were important and which things were not. She worked diligently, once again happy to have something to do even though it was tiring. Magic was out of the question for it would drain too much of her energy and she wasn’t sure how soon it could be replaced. Luckily for her, Trap-jaw sustained her throughout her work by lusting after her. Whenever she bent over or stretched the energy level in the room rose and enabled feeding.

Many hours passed before her work was finally done and she surveyed the room in a prideful manner. “I’m going to go now.”

“Okay, Babe. Good job with my room by the way. It’s never been this clean.”

“You said you kept it clean all the time.”

“No, I said I tried to keep it clean. Never worked though.”

Tris left his room chuckling. She had enjoyed the time she spent in his quarters; it was nice to be with someone but not have them demanding anything of her. Without any further instructions, Tris decided the rest of the day would be spent at her own discretion, and she knew exactly what she wanted to do. _I will visit Tri-klops and see if he will speak with me._

Quite quickly though, she realized he was just as short with her now as he had been before. “Tri-klops, do you need help with anything?” she asked when she finally found him inside what looked to be his private laboratory. When she didn’t receive an answer to such an innocent query, she decided to prompt him further with a more suggestive statement. “Skeletor said to make myself available to everyone.”

“No. I’m busy. Go away.” Tri-klops was annoyed the girl had entered his lab uninvited like it was some kind of play area. 102 years old seemed pretty old to him, but he guessed her life span was probably much longer than theirs since she seemed so young in experience. Her personality suggested early twenties in comparison and that was positively annoying.

“Okay.” Turning to leave, she noticed one of the Doomseekers floating in the corner and suddenly remembered what The Masters had told her about them. “Useful little mechanical things. They can easily spy on people doing all sorts of naughty things.” The girl knew how the phrase sounded, and was hoping to get a reaction from him. _Guess it worked,_ she thought smugly as she felt a sharp spike in the sexual energy of the room.

“We use them to gather information mostly.”

“Oh trust me, I remember.” The inventor turned to look at her then expecting to see anger about being recorded in such a private moment and then publicized all over the planet. What he saw was mostly curiosity in his inventions. Not waiting for his response, instead the girl was leaning over a table looking at the different tools he used to repair his machines. He appreciated that her hands were behind her back obviously not intending to touch anything. _She is so young and alive._ He shook his head to rid himself of such an inappropriate thought and turned back to his work.

“I do not care whether you stay or go but if you stay, do not touch anything and do not speak.” At some point he expected her to leave, but was surprised when she stayed the rest of the day. He simultaneously worked and watched her peruse the lab, surveying even the most insignificant pieces of equipment as if they were priceless artifacts, but never touching anything. When she reached the bookshelves against the far wall he watched her fingers scrabble against themselves just itching to touch. The accompanying look of longing and excitement on her face was reminiscent of the look she had had in Eternos’ library and reminded him of her love for books.

Hours passed by quietly and Tri-klops soon forgot the girl was there; that was, until he heard her soft breathing late into the night. He found her lying on the floor near the forge used to shape metal, curled up in a ball, apparently enjoying the heat. He sighed to himself in annoyance _, she can’t stay here._

Tri-klops went to move her, and then paused as he noticed how much better she looked already. Evil-lyn had healed her the day before, but that had only been the physical damage caused by Skeletor, not the degradation of her physique. It had only been half a day but she had regained a good deal of muscle tone, and her skin had taken on a healthy shimmer as opposed to the dull glow it had had since she had refused their food.

He picked her up gently in an effort not to wake her, and when he was upright she snuggled in against his body. He froze instantly, unaccustomed to feeling such a sensation. Her body pressed up against his tightly and it radiated with a heat that was almost soothing.

No sooner had he thought that than he became angry with himself. Not only was he allowing himself to almost enjoy touching the girl, but was doing it without her knowledge as well. Quickly making his way to her cell, he dropped her off and returned to his lab. Not even five minutes later, Evil-lyn came in to tell him that Skeletor had a mission for them.

* * *

 _I don’t remember returning to my cell_ , she thought as she woke on the telling hard rock. _Tri-klops must have moved me._ As much as the thought of the green armored warrior touching her excited her, it bothered her that she had been so out of it that she could not remember. It meant she was weaker without her support than she had originally thought.

Her people had developed a sensory system that allowed them to record events that happened around them even when in a light sleep. It required a lot of energy however and with her being so exhausted all of the time from incomplete feedings, there was just no way she could maintain her awareness. It made her feel slightly exposed as she was used to knowing everything that was going on around her at any given time.

Still, it wasn’t the most important thing to worry about at the moment, so she let her mind wander back to the happenings of the previous day. Being in Tri-klops’ lab had left her with a feeling of completeness that she hadn’t experienced in a long while. It was warm from the forge, secluded and quiet, and filled with so many strange things to entertain her never-ending curiosity. _Oh, and there had been books._ So many books. The title of each and every one peaked her interest but alas, he had warned her not to touch anything. The man was already so disgruntled she hesitated against doing anything that would really set him off, and nothing seemed more likely to do so than to touch the items within his lab. _Next time. Next time I will ask if I may read some of them._

It was then that she had a visitor to her cell in the form of Mer-man stomping into the room seemingly in a fit. “Skeletor demands your presence now.” Although the chord of anger was easy to detect, his voice still sounded rather funny, almost like a gurgle, as if it was meant only to be used underwater. Without waiting to see if she would follow, he stomped back out in the same manner in which he had come.

Instead of feeling apprehension at being summoned, Tris began running her fingers through her hair hoping she looked presentable. _I_ _really need a shower_ , she thought, and then stopped both confused and amused by her own behavior. _I am worried about how I look in front of the Overlord of Evil, who has just been torturing me for weeks. What am I thinking?_

Tris started on her way out pondering her current situation again as she accumulated more and more information. So far it seemed as though Tri-klops and Trap-jaw were the safest to be around, and maybe also Mer-man as he appeared to be indifferent toward her. She hadn’t had much contact with Beastman, Clawful, or the giant lizard man whose name she had yet to acquire and preferred to keep it that way until she knew more about them. It was still too early for her to tell, but she was sure the biggest threat actually came from Evil-lyn. The woman was cunning, manipulative, and had managed to become Skeletor’s right hand in a group of ruthless warriors. _I’ll have to be careful around her._

The throne room was not that far away but Tris had to stop halfway there just to stay on her feet. Her head had begun to feel hazy and she couldn’t get her eyes to focus very well, an indication that her energy stores were much too low. She had gained some energy yesterday, enough in fact that her body had started to look better again, but it wasn’t enough to keep her hunger at bay for very long. _Damn, what am I going to do now?_ she thought trying to come up with a plan.

She entered the room to find Skeletor on his throne and Mer-man standing nervously by one of the wading pools. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but was too busy worrying about her own predicament to care. “Up here, Girl.” Tris ascended the throne and sat down on the little flat area when he pointed to it. He hooked one of the chains up to her collar despite her supposed freedom, and the sudden weight exhausted her even more. Feeling dizzy, she had to lean up against the throne to keep from passing out. _I need to feed._

“What is…” but he was cut off mid-sentence by Tri-klops and Evil-lyn hurrying into the room.

“Uh…bad news, Skeletor,” said Tri-klops, and neither warrior looked as if they wanted to finish that statement. Tris was trying to focus but it was getting harder and harder for her to think about anything. _This is definitely not how I wanted to end up feeding, with the Overlord of Snake Mountain in a room of his minions._

“Well?”

Tri-klops looked at Evil-lyn as if she might explain but the sorceress just stood there looking smug. When he turned back to Skeletor his face said he was in trouble, “The Masters got the amulet before us.”

“Tell him the rest, Tri-klops,” the woman sneered.

“They captured Beastman. He got knocked out…uh…by one of my gamma blasts,” and as he finished speaking, Tri-klops looked as though he wanted to disappear.

Skeletor was furious. Once again all he could think of was how he was surrounded by morons. _Another lost relic and one of my warriors sits in Eternos’ prison._ He raised his Havoc Staff and aimed it at Tri-klops certain he was going to enjoy punishing the swordsman for this failure. It started to sizzle but cut off abruptly when the mage became distracted by the girl climbing over the throne’s arm and spilling herself into his lap. She looked up at him with what was undoubtedly desire in her colored eyes, and her small hands quickly moved to press lightly against his chest as she lent forward. The hands were hot to the touch and left a tingling sensation across his body as they caressed him.

Both of her hands lifted one of his much larger claws close to her face. “Master,” she said provocatively, “I’m sure it wasn’t his fault.” On the last word her mouth closed around his index finger and she sucked gently. Tris felt him harden behind his uniform and she pressed herself against him, shuddering at the contact. The need to feed was driving her and he was the only one available at the moment; it had to be him. She wasn’t sure whether or not she was happy about that. Part of her reacted to him strongly, most likely because he was so powerful; the amount of energy he was putting off was impossible for her body to ignore. The other part of her was wary of him for many obvious reasons, and thought sleeping with him was not a wise decision.

Skeletor wasn’t sure why the girl was acting toward him in such a manner after he had tortured her but he didn’t care. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked it backwards sharply to which the girl let out a hiss and closed her eyes. “Out. All of you. Go get that idiot Beastman.” He didn’t care if they knew what was about to happen, but they would not be permitted to watch. When they were gone he let his eyes fall back on the prize before him. Her body was perfect again, lithe but strong, and her skin had a lustrous shine like the finest of silvers. He watched her chest move up and down slowly with deep, heavy breaths, each movement mesmerizing to him.

He pulled her in close and bit down on her neck much more gently than he had during the torture sessions. She sighed and tried to lean into him farther, but her hair was still held tightly in his grasp. She struggled against his grip but he didn’t want to let go, enjoying the way she rubbed against him. One of her hands slid down between them and began to squeeze him gently at first, and then tighter and tighter until he finally released his grip on her hair. The vice-like grip loosened and she began to rub him softly through his garment. Simultaneously, she lowered her mouth to his chest running her lips and tongue along his skin.

Tris knew she was going to have a good time with Skeletor. She could feel that it had been a long time since he had been intimate with anyone, which meant he would be extra sensitive to her ministrations. The girl ran her tongue along his chest some more tasting his slightly salty skin and scratched her fingernails across his left nipple. _I’m not going to fuck him,_ she decided, _but I will give him something else he shall enjoy._ Tris was fine with rough play but was certain Skeletor would take it too far, and she was not fond of taking a lot of damage during sex.

As soon as she started to move farther down his body, Skeletor realized what the girl intended to do; he had not had this in so long. Even before his accident, Evil-lyn had done it only a couple of times but repeatedly accused him of being too rough for such a delicate part of her anatomy.

When the girl removed his belt and grabbed him with one of her small hands, he groaned loudly. At first she just stared but then slowly started to move her hand up and down. He watched her do it and when she moved her face closer he couldn’t help but thrust upward through her hand.

She gave him a wicked smile, and then flicked her tongue out across the tip of him receiving a hiss of pleasure in return. “Mmm,” she whispered. Skeletor thought the girl would continue but instead she leaned back again and slowly moved her hand up and down. He let her go a little while savoring the sight, then tried to pull her closer but the temptress moved just out of reach smirking at him and once again resuming her slow pace. _She is teasing me. The little bitch._ “Now,” he growled, but even when his eyes began to burn red hot, he could see that she wasn’t frightened.

“If you insist,” she said staring up at him and then unexpectedly shoved all of him into her mouth at once. He cried out harshly and thrust upward out of reflex, bludgeoning the back of her throat with the force of his movement. The girl pulled back until only his head could feel the warmth her mouth provided and her tongue swirled around him a few times. One hand stayed on his shaft slowly pumping up and down leisurely while she sucked.

The girl started a slow rhythm that alternated between sucking and bobbing her head along only part of his length. Every once and a while he would allow himself a sharp, quick thrust, and then he would let her do whatever she wanted again. Sometimes she would look up at him, letting him enjoy the show, and other times the girl would close her eyes as if enjoying herself as well. The knowledge that she was appreciating this just as much was in some ways more arousing than her intentional performance.

The girl quickened her pace taking more of him in her mouth than before. He was approaching his climax when there was suddenly no movement. She removed her mouth momentarily and instead licked the outside of him in long, wet strokes. He was about to threaten her again but she moved down and pulled one of his balls delicately into her mouth. The sensation tore a groan from him and he grasped the arms of his throne tighter. She pulled the other one into her mouth and sucked gently, rolling them around. He could barely stand the pleasure anymore, it was almost too much. No one had ever played with him in such a manner and he found the pleasure to be exquisite.

She released him after a few moments and went back to the shaft with a self-satisfied smirk on her face. Looking him in the eyes the whole time, the girl pulled the very tip into her mouth, and then slowly slid down inch by inch until her lips touched the base. She repeated this act two more times before he was consumed with need. Twisting his hand in her hair to hold her steady, he thrust viciously into her mouth. He shoved into the back of her throat over and over, but she never gagged nor tried to get him to stop.

Tris allowed him to pleasure himself with her mouth as feeding was the only thing on her mind right now. She had taken care in maneuvering their positions such that her eyes were totally invisible to him, and feeding would be quite easy to accomplish now. Skeletor did not recognize what was happening too wrapped up in his own pleasure to feel the energy being stolen. She didn’t need to take much anyways for plenty of energy would come from his orgasm.

His thrusts soon became more urgent signaling his imminent release so Tris sucked on him as hard as she could. He thrust one last time and then growled lowly while emptying himself at the back of her throat. The girl felt the hot liquid sliding down her abused throat with each pulse spurting out even more. Just the substantial amount indicated how long it had been since the sorcerer’s last release. _More for me,_ she thought greedily. She continued to suck him as he softened making sure his body was clean before releasing him.

Tris licked him again and felt him wince from her stimulating his now very sensitive manhood. “Enough, my pet,” he said in a passive, satisfied voice. She replaced his belt, careful not to look him in the eyes for hers were still blazing as her body consumed the energy he had just spilled inside her. Keeping her head down, she crawled into his lap timidly not sure if he would allow such a thing, but in the end he didn’t seem to mind. He was breathing heavy and the girl felt him relax underneath her as if content to sit there for a time.

Her indulgence with this man did not make her feel guilty; quite the opposite actually, she felt overwhelmingly exhilarated. Skeletor was one of the most powerful beings she had ever fed off of, and continuing to consume flicks of his aura left her feeling even more charged up. The power bolted along her nerves, alighting her body with pleasure as it headed for the storage areas of her brain.

Instead of from exhaustion like the past few weeks, her mind grew slow and heavy from satiation and contentment. She started to drift away into that pleasant, sleepy state of being with a small smile on her face. Almost dead to the world, Tris could have sworn a hand softly caressed her cheek.

_I must be dreaming._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m totally in love with this chapter. Like, it’s really, really good. I don’t mean that to try and be conceded or anything, I’m just overwhelmed by how much I love it, for both the content and the writing itself. I mean I’m not completely happy with the last chapter as I read through it, specifically with regards to the writing, as I just feel like it still needs that extra special something. I’ll probably go back and reedit it eventually whenever I figure out exactly what it is I don’t like. Anyways, rant over. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and look for another update soon.


	13. A Chance Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to all my readers and reviewers! You guys are awesome. I’m trying to churn those chapters out for you guys as fast as I can.  
> For all intents and purposes Tris and her mother are speaking in their own language during the flashback. I’m not going to write it out that way because there is no purpose in it. However, I have started to develop a language in a basic form and have included particular words because I wanted to. The translations are at the bottom of the chapter and for consistency, I will go back and add translations where appropriate in previous chapters. 
> 
> The four species that are introduced here are my own, and are not close to anything canon as far as I am aware. I’ve already hinted at this in the text, but Tris species grows very slowly compared to humans, so below when it mentions that she is 30, it is roughly equivalent to a preteen. 
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Sexual hints here and there but nothing explicit.

This was the third morning in a row that Tris had woken to find herself in a new situation, each one better than the last. This morning she was lying in a bed unknown to her, and the first thing she noticed about it was that it was SO comfortable. It hugged her curves like a second skin and provided a layer of insulation that warmed her body to the perfect temperature. She snuggled into it contentedly and then took a quick peak at the entirety of it. The bed frame was large and plain, and the sheets, pillows, and comforter were all a uniform purplish, blue. _Hmm, it’s the same color as Skeletor’s…clothes._

The infamous mage walked in only seconds later and Tris sat up quickly. "What happened?!” she exclaimed immediately worried that he, or maybe someone else, had done something to her without her knowledge. _We didn’t do anything. I would remember. Am I naked?_ The girl rubbed agile hands along her body and found all her clothes were still in place much to her relief.

“You should remember to whom you are speaking,” he warned honestly more amused at her fearful outburst than angry.

That beautiful face turned downward into a more fitting position for a subordinate greeting her master as she apologized, “I’m sorry, my lord. I was just surprised. The last thing I remember was being in the throne room and now I have awakened in your bed. Um…did we do something?”

“Besides what we did in the throne room, no. Being that you now have duties to perform, I have decided you should have a proper bed to sleep on. Mine was sufficient for the night but you will pick a room and make it your own. Should you need anything let someone know, and if they are in a good mood maybe they will help you. Otherwise find something useful to do.” Skeletor gave her a once over sitting there in his bed covered in his sheets and his scent. _I may enjoy having her here more than I originally thought._

After he strolled out, Tris visibly relaxed into the sheets with a quiet sigh. Once again, she was reminded that her sensory system was down, and all the trouble it could cause her, but for right now she was content. She remained that way for a few more minutes before she sat up knowing that she had to do something today that he would deem ‘useful.’ It didn’t take long for her to realize that the perfect opportunity was staring her in the face.

She surveyed the room finding it to be in desperate need of a dusting and some reorganization of the scattered objects lying about. Cleaning his room first would probably please him, and it would also second as a thank you for the bed. The task wouldn’t actually take her that long either and she might be free quickly enough to have a look around the whole of Snake Mountain.

She slid out of the bed and decided to have a more thorough look around his room first as her curiosity took hold. _I wonder what the Overlord of Snake Mountain does for fun, besides torture people._ The room did not give her any clues however as it seemed as though he didn’t own anything personal besides books and various unidentifiable objects. There was a separate room off to the right side of the main area that served as his library, and skimming over the titles led her to believe they were mostly history texts and spell books. _I wonder if he would let me read them. I should ask when next I see him._

Returning to the main room revealed another doorway behind the bed she hadn’t noticed before.  It led into a narrow hallway that opened up into a small room, which was very warm and had a small pool on the far side. The water slowly churned with steam rising in thick, visible whips suggesting the whole area was situated above running lava. A little closer to the pool she could feel the lava itself, bubbling and boisterous as it flowed along.

 _He didn’t say I couldn’t clean myself before I start working._ Tris stripped her clothes in a hurry and sat down on the edge, placing only her feet in the water. The heat filled her with an immediate sense of longing, and the girl allowed herself to remember home.

XXXXXXX **Flashback** XXXXXXX

“Mmdarn, why am I different from everyone else?” asked Zahhk’se Zhria.

“Who says you are different?” replied her mmdarn with a painful smile.

“Mmdarn, I’m 30, not stupid. My skin is glittery while everyone else’s is a pure, solid white. My ears are not long enough and my hair is black with blue streaks; everyone else has white hair with yellow streaks. When I am hungry my eyes flash with three colors instead of just one. Everyone makes fun of me because of my looks and they especially berate me about my teeth. I don’t want to be different,” she pouted.

“Ziz, being different is not a bad thing. You will realize that in time.”

“Why don’t I have a ppdarn like everyone else?”

Her mmdarn seemed surprised by the accusation but quickly recovered, “Why so many questions all of a sudden?”

“I was playing near the volcanoes again today, Mmdarn. I know you told me not to but I like them.” She hurried along with her story knowing her mmdarn was going to be angry, “When I wasn’t looking a man snuck up behind me. I thought he was one of us but when I turned around I knew that was not the case. He lit his hand on fire and grabbed my arm. I was frightened when my arm caught fire like his but it didn’t hurt. He said only, ‘I knew it,’ and then disappeared.” Her mmdarn had stopped moving and was staring off into space with a solemn expression. “Mmdarn, what am I?”

“You are special. One day you will see that. Now go play with Lov’dhe and Hmzâdse.”

“See, even they make me different. Everyone else only has one and I have two.”

“You should be happy two of them chose you. It will make you stronger when you are older. Besides, do you wish to give one of them up?”

“Never!” she shouted.

“Well then. Do not complain about what you have when you could just as easily lose it. Now run along.” Zahhk’se Zhria knew her mmdarn wasn’t going to say anymore so she acquiesced.

From then on, she would visit the volcanoes every day despite the risk of her mmdarn finding out. Part of her hoped to see the man again and the other part yearned to be near such intense heat. It soothed her mind and caressed her body inciting a feeling of unimaginable power within. It felt almost as good as feeding itself and she couldn’t help but be drawn to its warm embrace.

At first she only played with the fiery wisps that ignited on the surface of the lava pools, but as time went by she grew bolder until one evening the girl dipped her hand inside with disregard to her safety. There was no burn, no pain, no real risk, but instead a pure feeling of first heat and then she felt energized. Something inside her just felt so alive and so right for the first time in her short and confusing life. When she finally pulled her arm out, it was still on fire but somehow she already knew how to focus and put it out.

“Very good.”

Zahhk’se Zhria spun around at the man’s voice knowing the owner would be the same as before. She knew from her readings he was one of the dragon people except he didn’t have the horns that all the males were supposed to have. His skin was black and had tracts of red through it like lava running down volcanic rock. His eyes were a solid yellow with black slits for pupils. Zahhk’se Zhria saw something on his body move and she tried to get a better look by stepping forward a little and leaning toward him. His skin was almost too dark to identify a shape, but there was definitely a shadow moving across his body. “Who are you?”

“A mixed breed like yourself.”

“Mixed breed? Mixed breeds don’t exist,” she exclaimed scoffing as she was sure in her knowledge.

“Are you so certain?”

Zahhk’se Zhria paused not as confident as before. What if it was true? There were things about her that were different from everyone else. “No,” she reluctantly admitted. “Well, what am I a mix of then and how do you know that?” The man looked her over for a long time without answering. “Hey. What am I a mix of? Tell me, please,” she begged almost desperately. _What if he does know? Maybe he can tell me why I am different._

He walked over to her and she couldn’t help but tense up as his intentions were unclear. When he was right in front of her he crouched down so that they were on eye level. “You do not need to be told, you already question yourself,” he replied cryptically. “Ponder that which you are called and that which you can do, the answers are right in front of you,” and that only succeeded in confusing her further.

“I don’t understand. Why can you not just tell me?”

“You will learn.” Before she could say anything else, he handed her a lustrous black, round object that had streaks of red almost like veins. It was large in her hands, warm as if it generated its own heat, and something about it seemed to pull at something within her.  

“What is it? she asked, her eyes never leaving the object.

“You will understand all when the time is right. Tell no one about it for they will want to take it from you. No one. On your forty-fourth birthday, put it in one of the lava pools. Do not bother to do it before then because nothing will happen.” The man turned to leave but stopped abruptly, and in a low voice whispered, “Tell your Mmdarn…I miss her.” She had a lot of questions that were ready to come barreling out, but he disappeared right before her eyes.

XXXXXXX **Flashback** XXXXXXX

During the memory Tris had slipped into the water, savoring the feeling of heat enveloping her body. It wasn’t until much later she realized that the man had been her father. She never saw him again even though she ventured to the lava pools every day. When Tris had finally told her mother of the encounter, leaving out that he had given her the object, the older woman had only cried.

Eventually, her mother explained that her father had been insane and that he had raped her, which was unheard of in Tris’ society. Her people controlled others through pheromones and magic; igniting their strongest magic could turn a would-be rapist into a man groveling on the floor for their affection. Her mother had assumed since his mind didn’t work correctly he was immune to their powers. Apparently he had been born insane, the bastard mixture of a Zahhk and a Dh; the only one ever known to have existed and probably for exactly that reason. Although her people often had sex with other races, children were never borne from the couplings and the other species were never known to pair up amongst each other.

The Zahhk were the dragon people. They resided in the volcanic areas of Eternia and almost never ventured away from the heat. When she was younger there had always been rumors that Zahhkse could control dragons but she found out later that that was not entirely true. On their 44th birthday, Zahhkse would form a bond with one dragon that would be theirs forever and although the Zahhk was technically in control, it was really a partnership.

The Dh were known as the ‘givers’. They did not have many magical abilities to speak of, but they were sources of pure energy and unbelievable self-control. They could give enormous portions of their energy away to others and still have plenty left over to maintain themselves. They had been instrumental in helping her people finally learn to control themselves, being able to provide enough energy to sate them without killing them.

The only other intelligent people who had been around in her time were the Aasmn. They were similar to the humans of this time period, highly prevalent, managing to populate all of Eternia, and yet there was nothing special about them. Slaughtered in droves by the other species, they were only spared to use for labor most of the time. Her people had fed on them before discovering that willing Dhse were a better way to sustain themselves.

Tris’ mother had been a Tazllol; the people of lust and beauty. Their strongest abilities were sexual in nature although they possessed powerful magic as well, which made them formidable warriors.

When her mother had found out she was pregnant, her only thoughts had been about how messed up the child would be from being a mixture of three races. Her mother had told her she had cried every day until her daughter was born. Even though she was unique, Tris had always considered herself to be Tazllol because her mother was and she grew up in that society alone. The others had tolerated her due to her mother’s unfortunate circumstances, but they had never truly welcomed Tris as one of their own.

Precious memories that were soon interrupted as someone entered the room. She turned to find Tri-klops staring at her with an angry look on his face. “Out now. Skeletor wants you to make him breakfast or something.” She was surprised by his rudeness but the girl decided to have some fun with him to make up for it. Rising seductively from the pool each step a calculated sway of her hips, Tris didn’t bother to cover her exposed flesh. She was nude to his eyes for the second time and the water the beaded on her glittery flesh enhanced her appeal.

The stern warrior was trying to control himself but his face gave it all away not that she needed to see it, she could smell his arousal on the air. As much as he tried to be aloof and angry whenever she was around, he wanted her and they both knew it now. She inhaled that intoxicating smell deep into her lungs and it lit up her inner fire like an all-consuming inferno. _He smells so good. I want a taste._ His eyes were examining her curves when she said, “Tri-klops?” in a low, teasing voice.

Tri-klops looked up at her smug face and then angrily turned around. “What is wrong with you? Put a towel on or something.” Not only couldn’t he believe that she had just blatantly exposed herself to him, but that he had looked so intently either. _What is wrong with me?_ He was aware of what the girl had done with Skeletor and that thought alone was enough to help him get himself under control. The way she behaved and postured in front of the men was indecent.

His control was short lived however when a lithe body pressed up against the back of his, arms wrapping around him. She was warm and wet from the pool and the warrior couldn’t help shuddering against her. His manhood went painfully erect and he cursed his own body, _traitor._

 _Oh, this is too fun_. She swiftly moved around to his front and looked into his visor’s current blue eye. The man looked painfully torn between what his mind wanted and what his body wanted. She leaned her body up against his and closed her eyes loving the sensation of him so hard pressed up against her stomach. Tris put her hands on his shoulders, pulling herself up until she was face to face with him, and then wrapped bare legs around his waist.

His hands moved unconsciously to grab her hips _. She is so small,_ he thought as his large hands fit almost completely around her. Why the attraction to her was so strong was information he didn’t have but trying to clear his head did nothing to help. _I want to press her up against the wall and take her right now._

She leaned in until her mouth hovered just above his and breathed against his lips, “Tri-klops, we should fuck, up against the wall…right now.” He groaned at the suggestion, emulating exactly what he had been thinking, and leaned in that last little bit to kiss her, but she disentangled herself from his body in one smooth motion and was standing in the doorway before he could figure out what had happened. “Best not to keep Skeletor waiting, bad for the health.” The girl gave him a devilish grin and walked out.

Tri-klops couldn’t believe what had just happened. She had made him forget his anger, want her, try to take her, and had refused him all in less than a minute. He walked out wondering if skipping Skeletor’s meeting to take a cold shower was a good idea. _Yeah, if I want to be dead tomorrow._

* * *

“Queen Marlena is throwing a royal party for your queen, Buzz-off. She has asked that you journey to Veridas and collect as much of your Queen’s favorite foods as possible. You may require help, so you should take one of the other Masters with you,” explained Man-at-Arms.

“May I ask why Queen Marlena has chosen to honor my queen so?” Buzz-off was not a fan of the idea that his queen would be coming here. “It doesn’t seem necessary to me.”

“Queen Marlena has noticed that relations between Andreenos and Eternos have not been so friendly as of late. She wishes to show your queen that nothing has changed even after what happened. We do not think less of her or her people in anyway.”

“No. You only think less of me.” The Andreenid leader left in a flurry of wings, angry about the way he was being treated. Truthfully, his outburst now was uncalled for as Man-At-Arms had never treated him any differently, but he was just so angry about everything.

After his initial embarrassment, his thoughts turned to the way the other Masters teased him after his first encounter with the girl, and about the way they had looked at her. _They all wanted her too and they act like I’m perverse for doing something with her even after they romanticized in their own minds._ Buzz-off wasn’t truly angry with them though because deep down he believed he was perverse as well. _The others at least look similar to her._

The only person who would accompany him was Mekaneck so he went out to the courtyard looking for him. The young warrior often lounged on the rock where they had first seen the girl, gazing up at the sky. He was actually surprised when Mekaneck was not there. Taking flight, Buzz-off decided to scour the palace grounds before checking inside, and his decision was rewarded when he spotted Mekaneck playing chess with Sy-klone.

 _No one else is around thankfully._ He hovered near Mekaneck’s chair and asked politely, “Mekaneck. I must venture to Veridas for fruits and Man-at-Arms has asked that I take someone with me. Will you accompany me?”

“Sure, Buzz.” The Master was surprised by the offer but then again who else could he have asked.

“May I come as well, Buzz-off?” asked Sy-klone. The wind master had noticed the social dynamic of their group had changed since the transmission in the communications room. At the time, he did not understand what had happened but Mekaneck explained it to him privately. The explanation did nothing to help him understand why everyone’s attitude toward Buzz-off and the girl had changed. “I have never ventured to the City of Veridas. I hear it is a sight to behold.”

Buzz-off was unsure why Sy-klone would willingly choose to come. The Gar hadn’t shown anger towards him like the others, but the two had never been friendly in the first place like he had been with some of the other Masters. “It is beautiful. I have no problem with you coming.”

“Thank you. It will be a welcome change from laying my eyes on nothing but the palace walls.” Buzz-off slowly lowered himself to the ground as the pair dismounted the virtual chess game’s playing chairs. When he touched down he could tell that Sy-klone was thinking about something, and then finally chose to ask, “Buzz-off, may I ask a personal query?”

Buzz-off immediately tensed. _Every time someone asks that, I am sure I will not like the question_. “Sure,” he replied with a hint of dissatisfaction although he knew the Gar wouldn’t pick up on it.

“Mekaneck has explained to me the occurrence between you and the female.” The Andreenid bristled at his mention of Tris, not liking where this was going. “I am curious of the reason why you chose to be with her. I do not imply that there is a problem with your relationship, only curiosity because you are often around many others of your own species. I had considered a relationship with the female myself but I am the only one of my kind left.”

“You liked Tris?” Mekaneck uttered in disbelief. “I didn’t think you noticed her at all.”

“I found the girl to be attractive and mentally stimulating as well. I had a family once, long ago, but I have lost all of that now. Sometimes I miss being close to someone.”

Sy-klone was actually curious and not trying to be mean, but the question edged on things Buzz-off did not wish to talk about. “Our society is different. I had not been with a female in a long time and failed to control myself.” It wasn’t exactly an explanation but it was the best he could do.

_I wonder how everyone would have reacted if Sy-klone had bedded her instead of me?_

* * *

Tris entered the dining hall in front of Tri-klops almost skipping due to the wonderful mood she was in. A strange two-headed man was sitting at a table with a bowl of food in front of him. He was blue on one side and dark purple on the other. It actually appeared as if two people had been fused together because each half had completely different anatomy and clothing. The two arms seemed to be grappling against each other and both faces were contorted in anger. “Is he arguing with himself?” she asked Tri-klops who had moved to stand next to her.

“Yes. He does that quite often.”

“You would think someone born with two heads would be used to each other by now.”

“They were not born that way. They were bounty hunters that Skeletor hired to get rid of He-man. The two were acquainted before they were hired and despised each other. They had a chance to kill He-man but couldn’t stop fighting amongst themselves. When they failed, Skeletor was so angry he fused them together so they would be forever stuck with each other.”

 _Brutal,_ she thought realizing her original feeling had been correct. “Wow. I don’t think I have ever heard you say so many words at one time,” and she was grinning at his scowl when Skeletor rounded the corner.

“Fitting in already, are we? I believe I sent for you so you could prepare food for us not stand around chatting with my warriors.”

 _He sure is in a pissy mood._ “Yes, Lord Skeletor.” Tri-klops showed her to the kitchen and she didn’t know where to start. “I have no idea how to cook or what for that matter. My mother tried to teach me but I never wanted to sit still long enough to learn.” Tris looked around the kitchen and decided there was another huge problem. “Uh…isn’t there supposed to be food present before I can cook it?” The smug swordsmen gave her the most self-satisfied shrug she had ever seen. _He is enjoying this. I wonder why._ Tris thought about it then realized she was going to have to tell Skeletor there was no food and he was already in such a bad mood. “Oh. No.”

“Exactly,” Tri-klops announced triumphantly. “I believe I am going to enjoy watching you try to explain this to him. He seems like he is in a great mood by the way.”

 _Sarcastic bastard._ Tris headed back out into the dining hall dreading the conversation she was about to have. Sitting at one of the tables, their master rapped his claws against the hard surface. “Well?”

“Uh,” but she really didn’t know what to say. Nothing particular came to mind, but when his eyes turned to flames she decided seduction was the only way to go. A little smirk came to her mouth as she thought, _Tri-klops is going to love this._ A little spike in her pheromone levels would add to her persuasion as she began, “My lord, I would love to prepare something for you but there is no food.” His eyes blazed even brighter, his heavy power thudding inside her mind in an even tempo, but she ran her hand up the inside of his thigh before his anger took over. “I would be happy to go buy some,” she purred rubbing him through his garment and the steady pulse stuttered as his arousal took over. “I have been enjoying myself…immensely as of late. I promise I won’t run away. You can even send Tri-klops with me to make sure of it.” With her last words the girl slid into his lap, rubbing him all the while.

Skeletor allowed her to bring him to attention before he replied, “I will have Evil-lyn adjust the spell on your collar so you may leave. You WILL return though or it will be very painful for you when I catch you again, my pet.” His gaze and the sharp claw digging in almost painfully as he grabbed her ass left no question to that fact. His other claw slid down the front of her corset to squeeze a breast and he didn’t miss the sharp intake of breathe. Skeletor was pleased with the way the girl was reacting toward him if not a bit curious as to the why. “Tri-klops will take you to Veridas and you will buy whatever you need.”

“Of course, Lord Skeletor.” Tris left his lap reluctantly as in the process of persuading him she had excited herself for the second time in a very short while. “Should my lord need anything else upon my return, I hope he would not hesitate to…take it.” The victorious girl turned on her heel and smirked at the look of disbelief on Tri-klops’ face as she strolled out of the hall.

* * *

A windy ride later in one of Skeletor’s vehicles and they were in Veridas, a huge city surrounded by fields of fruits and vegetables. The vegetation here grew to enormous size, Tri-klops told her, due to the glowing crystal way up on the tallest tower. “Do they have meat here and rice as well, Tri-klops?”

“I believe you can buy fish and probably some smaller herd animals. Rice is grown everywhere, we should be able to find it.” Tri-klops found it unbelievable that the girl had manipulated Skeletor so easily. _Then again she got me to almost kiss her. Crafty little trollop._ The swordsman didn’t mind her presence as much as he thought he would, but was still unhappy to be escorting her around like a bodyguard.

“Oh. I love fish. We have to get some before leaving.” Apparently, Skeletor had given Tri-klops coins to pay for whatever she thought necessary to buy. Tris had figured Skeletor would have just told Tri-klops to threaten the villagers into giving them what they needed. _He probably doesn’t want to draw more attention to me._ It wasn’t likely that anyone would really notice her though because Veridas was a massive city with bustling crowds venturing about. The entire city seemed to be planned around the farming lifestyle, which was obviously the backbone of their economy. Structures were organized in a fashion to maximize the water distribution around the town and every space was illuminated by the light from the crystal.

When they first arrived at the town square, the merchants all appeared deathly afraid of Tri-klops and no one would approach him. _I was wrong. Tri-klops is attracting enough attention by himself._ Sure enough, women and children began to covertly distance themselves from the surrounding area and even make their way inside. After she exited the vehicle and went to stand near the warrior, a small man with a hesitant smile finally made his way over. “Uh, he’s not welcome here. As citizens of Eternia we stand on principle to refuse goods to anyone under the service of Skeletor.”

Tri-klops grabbed the man by the front of his garment in one smooth motion, “We will pay for what we need and you will give…”

Tris placed a hand on his wrist to encourage him to release the man and be silent. He looked at her as if he wanted to refuse, but instead dropped the man none too kindly. She may not understand this time as well as him, but it seemed that men’s inability to be persuasive instead of brutish was universal. “Sir, I apologize for his actions. I am not in the service of Skeletor. I am simply here to buy some much needed food and he is just here to make sure no one hurts me. I am quite small, other’s tend to try and take advantage of me.” She put her hand out in front of Tri-klops and he placed the small sack of coins within it. Tris showed it to the man stating, “We will pay. We’re not here to steal anything.”

The man looked between the two of them, seemingly weighing her words against what he thought he knew of Tri-klops and his role as Skeletor’s minion. Eventually his face softened somewhat. “If you truly are not here to cause trouble, then I will help you get what you need.”

“Thank you. We will need many fish and a few sacks of rice to start with.”

“Wait here. I will bring you the rice, and then we will go to the area where they store the fish.” He gave a little head bow and then he was gone.

After he returned with the rice, they accompanied the man to each different storage area, collecting fish and greens as well as eggs but from what animal she did not know. _At least I know how to prepare one meal,_ she thought as she contemplated different things she would need. Tris then decided berries would also be a good idea since they didn’t need any work to taste great. When she asked the man about them, he directed them toward a grouping of the tallest trees she had ever seen. Some of the berries grew so high up, that she could barely see the man when he went to fetch them.

“Thank you, sir. Oh and I will need lemons. Ten will be sufficient. And then that will be all.”

“I will fetch them for you, my lady. Please wait here.” The man had become decidedly more pleasant as he began to realize that they true to their words.

“Thank you.” Tris was enjoying herself. Being outside again was nice, but she had to admit Snake Mountain actually was beginning to feel like home. She sighed. _If only I had my stones, then everything would be perfect._

The man returned a few minutes later with her lemons and Tri-klops paid him for all the food. “You are welcome any time, my lady. It was a pleasure to serve such a polite individual and your…bodyguard as well.” Tris couldn’t help her quite giggle at that, but she could see Tri-klops’ anger at being termed her bodyguard so she quickly bid the man a farewell.

Not ready to leave quite yet, the girl was about to suggest they get something to drink when she heard familiar voices and froze. They were close, most likely just behind the corner to their right. Tris stared at Tri-klops back in a moment of hesitation before she leaned into him and whispered, “Tri-klops we must leave now,” with urgency as she pushed at him.

Instead of moving forward, he turned around to look down at her in annoyance, “What is wrong with…” but his sentence cut off mid-way. Tris saw his face tilt upward as he caught the movement of people behind her. He stared behind her intently and his face clearly said that he intended to cause whomever it was a great deal of pain.

 _Please let me be wrong. Please,_ she thought already knowing it was hopeless. Tris turned slowly and locked eyes with Buzz-off who was about fifteen feet away, flanked on either side by Mekaneck and Sy-klone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh so many ways this can play out.
> 
> Tazllol Language  
> -se is added to the end of words to show plurality just as –s is in English.   
> Listed in Order of Appearance:  
> Mmdarn-mother  
> Ziz-Term of endearment. Closest to calling someone honey.  
> Ppdarn-father  
> Lov’dhe-Harlequin. It is the name of a creature.  
> Hmzâdse-Twins. Also the name of a creature.  
> Zahhk-Dragon. It refers to the mythical beast and to the people. The meaning is contextual.  
> Dh-Giver. A species present during Tris’ time.  
> Aasmn-A species present during Tris’ time equivalent to humans.


	14. The Choices We Make

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don’t have too much to say about this chapter as it didn’t change much from the original, just some added details here and there. Hope you enjoy and as always please R and R. It’s a very, very happy moment in my life whenever I get a new review.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Language

Each face before her held a different combination of emotions and they could not have made Tris feel any guiltier. The only three Masters she still considered to be on somewhat good terms with were standing before her watching her parade around with their enemy. Looking at Sy-klone’s eyes revealed a hint of lust, which was surprising since he had never displayed that emotion during her short stay at the palace. In addition to that, there was suspicion probably at her close proximity to Tri-klops and the closed sacks lying on the ground near them.

Surprising her even more than Sy-klone’s was Mekaneck’s expression. Expecting him to be hurt, instead she saw nothing but anger written across his face as his gaze flicked between her and Tri-klops. _I can’t imagine how this looks to him._

Buzz-off’s eyes were all for her and there was such pain and longing in them that she had to avert her gaze. The raw emotion was too much for her to bear and it was strange to see as it was one of an invested lover and not of a partner in a onetime tryst. _It is almost as if Mekaneck and Buzz-off have switched personalities._

Ready to say something, Tris felt Tri-klops’ arm wrap around her from behind and pull her in flush to his body. She was unsure whether he had done it to claim her or if he was afraid she was going to try to escape. His face revealed nothing about his intent, but Tris was leaning towards him claiming her; either way it escalated the situation. All three Masters’ faces changed to what looked like righteous anger and this was going to get out of control real fast. “Tri-klops?” she whispered but there was no response. “Tri-klops. We have everything already. Let’s just go.”

“Tris. What are you doing?” called Mekaneck. “Why are you with HIM?”

“I…” but there was nothing to say as there really wasn’t an explanation that was going to make this situation any better. Tris couldn’t stop looking at Buzz-off. Seeing him made her burn with hunger and her stomach fluttered uncontrollably. _I’ve missed him more than I thought. But why?_ Thinking about her few days moving from town to town, she remembered her aversion to sleeping with any of her victims. It was almost as if she had formed some kind of attachment to him. _And now I’m hurting him._

Sy-klone, never one to get distracted, said, “Tri-klops, release the girl and surrender. You are wanted for crimes against Eternia.”

Tris was trying to back up but Tri-klops wouldn’t move. She heard him unsheathe his sword and said, “Stop. You are making things worse.”

“Tris. Are you okay? Are they holding you prisoner?” Mekaneck had noticed the collar around her neck and was worried they were keeping her against her will. If Skeletor had found out she was inside the stone he had stolen, then maybe he was trying to use her for something. His eyes saw what his mind didn’t want to acknowledge though. Tri-klops had pulled her into his body and she wasn’t fighting him. She was actually trying to get him to just leave _. They are too friendly._

“No, Mekaneck. I’m fine. We were just buying food, but we’re leaving now.” Tris tried to pull out of the swordsmen’s grip but he wouldn’t let her. “Tri-klops, let go.”

“Would you care if I killed them?” asked Tri-klops abruptly.

“What?! Yes, of course.” _How could he ask such a thing?_

“Then you need to decide which side you are on,” and Tris saw his visor swivel so that the red orb now faced The Masters.

“Tri-klops, no,” but her words were drowned out by the fireball that burst forth causing The Masters to dive in different directions to avoid the blast. The swordsmen began shooting continuously at them and they were scrambling just to evade his attacks.

Tris didn’t know what to do; attacking The Masters was not an option but she couldn’t stop Tri-klops either. Instead, she focused all of her attention on Buzz-off and hoped that he wouldn’t be hit. She saw him pull out his battle axe and dive behind a building that was only a few feet away from them. Tri-klops latest shot missed him by inches, and instead contacted the edge of the building scorching the wood in the process. His frame moved into view rapidly, and he let off a shot of his own that went a little wide as he pulled back behind the building to avoid another burst of fire.

Tri-klops did not let up on his barrage of blasts shooting almost exclusively at Buzz-off like he wanted to do the most damage to the Andreenid. Tris was pretty sure she knew the reason for that, but it did nothing to help her make a decision about what she could do in this situation. Every once and awhile a fireball would blaze toward Mekaneck, but it was only to hinder his forward progress.

Too focused on what was in front of them, they both missed the gust of wind that came from the right. It slammed into her and Tri-klops, throwing them toward a wall a few feet away. Tris’ head connected with the stone blurring her vision in a torrent of pain, and she could feel the blood as it began to run down her neck. Tri-klops massive bulk landed half on top of her only seconds later, compressing all the air from her lungs. She pushed at him, unable to breathe until he finally rolled off to the side.

Gasping breaths racked her body as she tried to calm herself and clear her vision when a hand grabbed her. It yanked her upwards and the girl’s head throbbed from the sudden movement. She collapsed again trying to get her feet underneath her as the person kept dragging her away. She yelled, “Stop. Let me go,” and pushed at the vice-like grip with her own fumbling hands.

The warrior Mekaneck was pulling the girl away but she struggled against him. Tri-klops could see that she was disoriented from being thrown into the wall and was having trouble with her coordination. Mekaneck handed her off to Buzz-off and came back toward him again. _Skeletor will be pissed if I lose her._ He rose to his feet and used his sword to block a swing that came from the warrior’s club. He parried each of the blows waiting for the right moment to counterattack. It finally came when Mekaneck extended too much and his arm was within reach of Tri-klops’ grasp. Using the young warrior’s own momentum to swing him around, he threw him into Sy-klone, who was coming at him from behind. Both Masters crumpled to the ground in a heap, momentarily taken care of.

When Tris’ vision finally cleared, she stood cradled in Buzz-off’s arms. It wasn’t like her to become distracted in the middle of a battle, but she focused entirely on him with complete disregard to what was happening around them. He stared at her, his beautiful blue eyes piercing in their intensity, and she stared right back into them. Tris felt a stutter in his heartbeat through her splayed hands on his chest, and instantly reacted with a flutter of her own. She wanted him, all of him, in a way that she had never wanted anyone, and hadn’t the faintest idea why.

The moment was soon shattered as they both caught sight of Tri-klops advancing on them and the other two Masters out cold on the ground. Buzz-off gripped her tighter and like before she was unsure whether he was trying to claim her or keep her from escaping. His eyes weren’t focused on her anymore, but instead they were fixed on Tri-klops, and they were alight with an anger she had never seen in him before. As conflicted as she was about her feelings for him, there was only one choice for her to make in that moment. “Buzz-off, I can’t,” and she started to push against his chest trying to get out of his arms.

He grabbed both her wrists in one of his large claws and crushed her in against his body again. The gust of wind from his wings signaled his preparation to haul her away. “Buzz-off. Let me go, please,” she begged. He looked down at her in confusion and pain, but his eyes clearly said that he was not going to do it. Tris looked around and saw that Tri-klops was only ten feet away when Buzz-off took to the air. She was afraid he had been too late but felt an impact as the swordsmen collided with them ripping her away from the Andreenid in the process, and then they were falling. Turning his body in midair, the warrior’s back hit the ground hard and the impact jolted them both, but she was safe in his arms.

Tris, mildly disoriented yet again, managed to sit up and look down at Tri-klops, who had been knocked out when they connected with the ground. Shaking him, she yelled, “Tri-klops, wake up,” but it was no use; he didn’t even stir. Now, all three Masters were back up and advancing on her. “Stop,” she pleaded. “We’re leaving.” _I can’t fight. I don’t want to hurt them._

“No. You are going to be placed in the Eternian jail for consorting with Tri-klops, a known Evil Warrior in the service of Skeletor,” threatened Mekaneck.

In that moment everything changed; The Masters were no longer her allies. She hadn’t counted on any of the others, but the three in front of her had always been kind. Now, in addition to the others who already disapproved of her, they would probably detest her for engaging in friendly relations with their enemy. Unexpectedly, she had an overwhelming sense of loss. It was her own fault though; she should have known.

Tris stood up thinking the only thing she could do that wouldn’t hurt them was seduce but before she could react, Buzz-off shot her. The blast hit her left arm and she dropped to the ground clutching it in agony. She sent out an immediate thread of energy to numb the pain, but couldn’t afford to actually heal herself. _He shot me,_ she thought in bewilderment, and ultimately…betrayal. It didn’t matter that it had been her who had left The Masters in the first place; she had shared herself with Buzz-off and to a lesser extent with Mekaneck. They were acting as if she meant nothing to them and the girl hadn’t even done anything wrong.

In her own time she had always been an outsider, but she knew why, she knew their reasoning and it was sound. Here, everyone was so different that she had thought that she might finally fit in, but that was not the case, that was not what she felt. Her initial acceptance and her strange feelings toward Buzz-off made this rejection, this moment, hurt even worse. Tris looked up at Buzz-off, really looked at him, and she let her physical and emotional pain show.

And the Andreenid was paralyzed by that look. The pain in her eyes was more than physical, more than between comrades; it was personal and it was strong. He was struggling with himself, struggling to understand this situation, these feelings. Undeniably, he was upset that he had hurt her, but still certain that she was now his enemy.

Starting to stir underneath her, Tri-klops’ movement caused Buzz-off to snap back to the reality of the situation at hand. He let off another shot but this time Tris allowed her magic to flow forth. She created a translucent bubble of black energy around them that blocked the shot but wouldn’t hold for very long. _I need Harlequin and Twins or I will never have my full strength again._ It would hold for the time being though, and it gave Tri-klops enough time to recover.

When he was finally able to orient himself she said, “We cannot win.” He nodded at her and they started backing up in tandem. _Mustn’t forget the food._ Tris lifted the bags of food they had purchased and brought them inside the shield. The girl took off toward the vehicle but had to slow her pace to keep Tri-klops inside of the shield she had made. Throwing the bags into the vehicle, she hopped into the back seat while Tri-klops started the engine. She looked behind to see that they were not being pursued anymore, and she couldn’t help but notice the resolve on all their faces.

Tris had never intended it to go this way but apparently, she had chosen a side.

* * *

 _I cannot believe I shot her._ Buzz-off knew in his mind that the girl was the enemy now but he couldn’t comprehend how it had happened. That was a lie, the knowledge assaulted him instantaneously. _We did it. We drove her away._

“I can’t believe Tris would do this to us after what we did for her, and after what they did to you both. Did you see the way Tri-klops grabbed her, like she belonged to him. Disgusting.” Mekaneck had been venting his frustrations since they had left Veridas, but it was a substitute for what he was really feeling, betrayed. He had believed that Tris was a good person and on their side, only leaving to do whatever it was that she had to do. Some part of him had always believed the pleasant girl would return to them but she had left to join Skeletor.

There had to be a reason though. She had always been so kind to everyone even when they had judged her unfairly. It didn’t seem likely that Tris would help Skeletor hurt them. “Maybe she couldn’t help it. Did you guys notice the collar around her neck? Maybe they are keeping her against her will.”

“Why would she fight me then? I was taking her away from him. We must face the truth: Tris has joined Skeletor’s side and it is our fault,” Buzz-off said with disdain.

“How do you deduce that we are culpable? She left of her own accord, Buzz-off,” interjected Sy-klone.

“Yes, but she only left because we treated her poorly to begin with. Something happened that wasn’t even her fault; it was mine for doing it and Skeletor’s for broadcasting it. Yet look how everyone treated her afterwards.” Buzz-off was actually thinking this was mostly his fault. If he had been able to control himself, she would still be here. Now they were all feeling miserable and The Evil Warriors had the girl. _I wondered why Skeletor had not shown his face for awhile._ He could only imagine what she was doing with them and each visual made him feel worse. The thought of anyone, but particularly Tri-klops or Skeletor, touching her infuriated him.

As much as he knew it had been their fault he was still hurt. Skeletor had been the one to record their time together, a fact the girl was well aware of. _How could she join him after that?_ The despicable man had taken their private moment and used it to publically shame them, although she had never been ashamed about what they had done, only him. Tris had appeared genuinely sorry that he was embarrassed by the whole situation even though it was obvious she didn’t really understand why.

Maybe after his and his queen’s harsh treatment of her in Andreenos she had been less understanding. Not to mention Stingrad had injured her and Buzz-off, although careful not to hurt her more afterwards, hadn’t even asked her if she was okay. _So many choices, so many things I should have done differently._

When they finally arrived at the palace, they dropped off the food and immediately went to see Man-at-Arms. Adam and Teela were also present, playing one of their games when they entered the workshop. They all looked up and upon seeing the solemn looks Teela asked, “What happened?” in a slightly worry-filled voice.

Neither Buzz-off nor Mekaneck wished to explain, instead waiting for Sy-klone to take over the conversation, which he promptly did. “Tris has joined Skeletor’s forces,” explained Sy-klone and from there he relayed the entire story to Man-at-Arms who listened intently.

Mekaneck felt the need to defend her for some reason interjecting, “Tris tried to get him to leave but he wanted to fight. She never tried to hurt us…but she did block our attacks long enough for them to get away.”

“Block how?” asked Man-at-Arms curiously.

“She generated an energy shield around them. It seemed similar to the kind Evil-lyn produces, but Tris was able to maintain it while running away from us, and I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

The older Master was considering everything they told him and decided it was time to take action. The girl posed too much of a threat now that she had resurfaced on Skeletor’s side. “Sy-klone, gather The Masters. We must discuss this new development. Teela, Adam. Please give me a moment alone with Mekaneck and Buzz-off.” Teela initially looked as though she would argue but then decided against it.

Everyone gone, Man-at-Arms addressed them both, “Mekaneck you have been open about your feelings toward the girl from the beginning but Buzz-off you haven’t despite your interactions. I know you care for her, much more strongly than you wish to admit, but if you didn’t your behavior these past weeks would be different. I must know that both of you can treat her like the enemy and not allow your feelings to affect your judgment if it comes to that. If she were to come up against us, you could endanger your fellow Masters by not acting accordingly.”

That statement was not easy to reply to. Being brutally honest with himself, Buzz-off didn’t think he could truly hurt her again, but now was not the time to think about it. “It will not be a problem for me.”

“Nor for me,” agreed Mekaneck. Man-At-Arms didn’t seem entirely convinced, but didn’t question them any further.

When everyone had arrived, following Sy-klone, Teela, and Adam into the workshop, and were at attention Man-at-Arms began. He relayed the story that Sy-klone had given him to start with and then elaborated, “As of right now, it appears that Tris does not wish harm to anyone. She did not attempt to retaliate in Veridas today even though she was both intentionally and unintentionally injured multiple times by our side during the fight. However, the longer the girl remains with Skeletor the more I fear that is likely to change.”

“You are all aware of the specialties of our enemies, but she is a wildcard that we must now prepare for. I have gathered information that everyone needs to be aware of should we meet her in combat. First and foremost, her body produces the pheromones of any species she is around, which is why there is such a strong attraction towards her. I am not certain if she controls this or if her body does it reflexively, but if she does control it, then it is probable that the girl could influence others using these chemicals. At the moment I am looking into a way to block the effects of her scent, but nothing yet. Until I figure something out, everyone should be careful of undue influence both in yourselves and in others.”

“Secondly, she has the ability to drain the energy of other people…”

“Drain how?” interrupted Adam.

“I’m not sure if she requires contact with her victim of not, but she kissed Mekaneck and he felt her stealing his energy to the point that he couldn’t even move when she finished. The extent of this ‘feeding’ is unknown, but it is not wise to get too close to her in the event that she can drain people to death this way. Her use of magic has so far been similar to, but drastically weaker than both Skeletor and Evil-lyn, but once again we cannot be sure what she is capable of. Lastly, I gathered some information about her during the tests I performed when she arrived and some of her characteristics are suspiciously dragon-like. There were marks on her hands and feet that suggest the bones at some point lengthen and then return to normal size. This combined with her teeth makes me believe she may have claws and talons. I also attempted to destroy a sample of her blood with fire and it had no ill-effects whatsoever; it actually seemed to provide a nurturing environment to her cells, allowing them to actively replicate.”

Going over the tests again and again had left him with many questions. When he finally compared her blood with a sample leftover from the dragon eggs Orko had found there had been resounding similarities. It was probably a distant relationship but there were definitely common points in their genetic makeup. “In some ways she may be even more dangerous than Skeletor if provoked. I would say extreme caution is needed when dealing with her. If we do come across her in battle, no one should engage her alone.”

“You really believe she is that dangerous, Father?” asked Teela.

“I’m not sure. She is too unpredictable, but with each encounter, the girl displays another new power. So far, she has not shown us ill intent, but until we no more, everyone needs to be careful.”

* * *

Skeletor had gotten impatient soon after the two had departed. The harlot had manipulated him and as much as he didn’t mind it at the time he soon grew angry. _Who does the little bitch think she is?_   Left with an erection that he was once again unable to relieve, the mage was fuming. At first he thought about taking her tonight when she returned whether she agreed or not, but the urge left him quickly enough and he had resigned himself to eating the only food that was available.

“Skeletor. Your good mood has left you. What are you thinking?” asked Evil-lyn slyly; Two-bad had already informed her of Skeletor’s morning fun.

“The girl is resourceful and manipulative.”

Evil-lyn, knowing full well what her master was referring to, decided to let him think otherwise. “Ah, so you noticed her and Tri-klops?”

“What are you talking about, Woman?”

“I thought you were referring to the way she looks at Tri-klops. She does seem to have a thing for him and he has definitely shown interest as well.”

“The tinkerer? I always assumed he was a eunuch; he ever even looks at women.”

The smile that graced her lips could not be avoided; he had just pronounced out loud her exact thought from only a few weeks ago. “Exactly and yet he seems to be attracted to her and I’m positive she must have done something to incite that attraction. I’m sure he would never do anything with her though; she is yours after all, Lord Skeletor, and that is known to all.”

Skeletor thought about Evil-lyn’s words. He hadn’t noticed the two of them reacting toward each other but Evil-lyn was not one to miss anything. Tri-klops had been one of his most loyal minions but recently had tried to go out on his own. For that he had been punished severely, and Skeletor thought the scientist of too high an intelligence to try him again so soon by being with the girl after he had already claimed her.

At that moment, a Doomseeker flew in with a message from Tri-klops. ‘We are returning,’ was all it said.

Evil-lyn continued to sit with him and drink her water knowing the seed of doubt she had just planted in Skeletor’s mind would only grow from here. The girl liked Tri-klops and whether the inventor wanted to admit it or not he liked her too. It was only a matter of time before something happened between them, which was the plan.

The girl had unknowingly angered Evil-lyn by being with Skeletor. She had left him willingly but hadn’t been aware until recently that she had retained her feelings for their relationship. Skeletor was hers. This girl needed to give up her information and then be dealt with swiftly and preferably, brutally. Bringing Tri-klops into it made her feel bad though for he would be punished severely when Skeletor discovered them.

_So many problems, the little bitch needs to keep her body to herself._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. It is setting up a lot of things to come.


	15. The Blind and the Bitter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I messed around with the dialogue quite a bit here. I just didn’t think it felt natural before, but I hope it’s better now. I also beefed up the smexiness, so hope you enjoy!

Tris was in a foul mood all the way back to Snake Mountain because she was irritated with Tri-klops for instigating the fight and upset about the way The Masters had treated her. She went over the scene again and again in her mind wondering what, if anything, she could have done differently. She had never intended to choose a side in this, but it had seemingly happened, and now she had to figure out how to live with it, or get out of it. A fact that only annoyed her further.

When they finally arrived, all of her emotions had to be bottled up, however, because Skeletor was waiting for them and she did not intend to anger him this night. “So she did not try and escape, I assume?” he asked Tri-klops as if she weren’t there.

“No, surprisingly. We ran into some of The Masters while we were there. She helped us escape,” and he caught Skeletor’s eye to indicate that they needed to speak in private at a later date before continuing, “however, she did not wish for me to harm them, particularly the insect.”

 _Why did he have to say it like that? Skeletor is going to be angry._ Sure enough, his eyes gave a wicked flicker only seconds later as he focused solely on her.

“And why not?” he questioned.

“I guess I still cared for them, but not anymore. Buzz-off shot me,” and her voice clearly displayed how upset she was about that fact while she simultaneously gestured at her bloodied arm. _My head is really killing me as well. Stupid, Andreenid._

“I didn’t think the insect had it in him,” and he turned to face them again satisfied with the answer. “I trust your mission was still successful?” Skeletor was trying to see what Evil-lyn had seen but he couldn’t. Their body language suggested that they were in fact mad at each other. Their eyes were averted and their bodies faced slightly outward, trying to put distance in between them.

“Yes, Skeletor,” replied Tri-klops.

“Everyone has eaten for today so store the food appropriately and you,” he pointed at her, “shall have food prepared for me by the time I rise tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lord.” The mage spun around in a whirl of cape and stalked off leaving her once again, alone with Tri-klops. _Great._

They headed for the kitchen in silence, both determined to complete their joint task and then be rid of each other. When they reached the large room, Tri-klops gestured at the farthest wall, which turned out to lead into a separate storage area. She put everything away, her own harsh movements giving away her irritation as she slammed items down on the shelves with too much force.

Finally done, they exited the kitchen and parted in the hall heading off in separate directions when Tris realized she really wanted to yell at him. Turning around, she caught up with him easily. “Tri-klops, why did you start a fight with The Masters? You knew we were outmatched,” she inquired clearly exasperated with him.

He turned on her so quickly that she ran into him and ended up on her ass. “Because you are parading around here like this is a game. The Masters are our enemies and you were still hoping to maintain a relationship with them. I have seen the way you look at the insect.”

“Don’t call him that, he has a name,” she said angrily, standing up.

“Exactly. Still you are mad because I insult him when you do not seem to realize that everyone in Snake Mountain would kill them all and not think twice.” He pivoted back around to leave but the girl got in his way.

“Well I’m sorry I fucked him and had a normal emotional response. We can’t all be unfeeling mechanical things like you,” she shouted at him.

“You would be better off if you were; people might not think of you as such a whore.” Tri-klops couldn’t believe he had just said that out loud but he had meant it. She had been around for less than two months and had already slept with two people that he knew of. _Probably more._ The girl may be from a different time, but it was still unbecoming of a woman to do such a thing unless she wished to be referred to as such.

The comment didn’t offend her but she knew it was supposed to be insulting. An equally hurtful retort was on the tip of her tongue but it wouldn’t due her any good to argue with him and her anger was waning as exhaustion reared its head. “Whatever, you’re just uptight. When was the last time you relaxed anyways?”

“What kind of dumb question is that? I relax all the time.” _I’m surprised she is not angrier after that comment._

“Really?” she asked eyeing him. “I wasn’t aware the new definition of ‘all the time’ was never. Don’t you people ever do anything just for fun or just because it feels good?”

“Just for fun. How old are you, five?” His body pushed past hers and she finally noticed how carefully he was moving. Her own body was also starting to ache and she had a wonderful idea although it was going to take a lot of persuasion to get him to agree to it. _I always did love a challenge._ Besides he had just called her a whore and the man shouldn’t be throwing that particular stone when he lusted after her so readily.

“Tri-klops, does your armor come off?” she asked in a tone that was purely inquisitive in an effort to get as much information as possible before he closed down.

“Of course it does,” he replied in annoyance at another dumb question not realizing the implications of the statement.

“And your head gear?”

“It can but I would never… why?” he finished suspiciously.

“Do you remember how I saved your ass from Skeletor yesterday?” she purred.

“You refer to having sex with our leader so you could get a better bed? I recall.” Tri-klops had not been pleased to see the girl throwing herself at Skeletor especially after he had tortured her. The small amount he had seen was enough to turn his stomach, and the scientist could see no reason for her to do it other than to gain favor with him. The sorcerer had already stopped the torture sessions and given her more freedom so that wasn’t the reason.

“I did not have sex with him for your information. I sucked his dick. Two different things.” Tri-klops flinched at the word choice. _She is so blunt and totally unapologetic._ “Besides I did not do it for a better bed. I didn’t want to see you get punished was all. You were the only one who helped me when he was torturing me,” she finished softly.

He was surprised by her comment since he really hadn’t done anything to help. The scientist had taken care of her or she probably would have died, which was more than anyone else had done, but he did nothing to stop the torture from happening. He wasn’t stupid enough to interfere with Skeletor’s business. _She is much more forgiving than I would be._ Scrutinizing her for a long while, he then asked, “What do you want?”

“I think you owe me a small favor, yes? It will help us both relax and you will enjoy it.”

He rolled his eyes at her, “I’m not having sex with you.”

“Who said anything about fucking?” Tris was saying everything just the right way to annoy him even further. “Men, always have sex on their minds,” she chided in mock annoyance, rolling her eyes at him in turn.

“What?” He noticed then that she was grinning from ear to ear. “What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing. Anyways like I said, I think you owe me a favor, yes?”

He evaluated her again and replied, “Fine.”

“Good. Now I promise we are not going to have sex because you do not want to. Other than that do I have your word that you will do as I ask?”

“No. Tell me what you want first and then I will decide.”

“No, give me your word. It will help make sure you don’t feel sore in the morning. Well, too sore.”

He eyed her suspiciously wondering what she could possibly be intending but finally relented, “Fine, you have my word.”

Tris smiled brilliantly at him. “Let us go to your room then.” _This is going to be fun._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Unbeknownst to them both, Evil-lyn had been eavesdropping on them since they had arrived. She had been hiding in the shadows watching with minimal interest growing more bored by the second. When they separated, she figured the situation may need further manipulation but the girl turned back almost immediately, and then things got real interesting. She listened intently to their conversation, and then watched as they headed off toward Tri-klops’ room the girl almost skipping in her ill-contained excitement.

 _I am surprised she did not sleep with Skeletor. He was in such a good mood afterward I assumed she must have._ The thought was bitter. The older woman was now questioning her own performance since he had never acted like that after sex with her and the girl didn’t even screw him. _And now she is going to fuck Tri-klops. Skeletor will not be pleased to hear about this at all._

Evil-lyn strolled down the hall smirking to herself. _I didn’t even have to wait very long for such an opportunity._

Her plan was falling into place.

* * *

Inside Tri-klops’ room, Tris found herself baffled by his lack of personal objects. There were tons of books just like in his lab, but other than that there was the necessary furniture and nothing more. _It’s like no one here understands how to accessorize. Maybe it’s just not a thing that they do in this time._ “Tri-klops, you have a bathing pool, correct?”

“Yes, why?”

 _He is so suspicious. You would think I was trying to steal his favorite invention or something._ She didn’t answer his question instead hinting, “Now all we need is some soap and we are good to go.”

“I am not bathing with you.”

“Yes, you are. You gave me your word,” she reminded him.

“It is inappropriate and I’m not doing it.”

“Why? Tell me the truth.” She waited for an answer that never came. _I thought so._ “Are you embarrassed about your size? I won’t look if that will help.”

“What? No. That is not the problem.” _The girl is trying to get on my nerves._

“Well, what is the problem?” Again, no answer. “Can you just trust someone for once? I am trying to make you feel better. Why are you fighting me on this?” Tris asked in earnest. She was curious why he was railing so hard against the idea that he was even remotely attracted to her when it was so obvious. She could understand if he just didn’t want to sleep with her; that was his own business and he may have had a good reason as to why not, but this was something else entirely.

She looked at his face, truly looked at him, and saw the real reason, the interest and the solemnity, despite his attempts to remain stoic; he was afraid of how much he wanted her because he was certain that he would be rejected. _He is so attractive though. Why would he be insecure?_  “Okay. If you don’t feel better and more relaxed in the pool then I’ll just leave. How about that?”

After a few moments, he sighed and gestured for her to follow him as the bathing pool was in a separate area just like in Skeletor’s room. There was soap already waiting for them and Tris was starting to get excited although she kept the feeling to herself. “I’m not taking off my visor.”

“Why not?” she inquired, truly curious what his attachment was to the thing. A glare was the only answer she received. “Fine, but I think you will be more comfortable without it. The point is to relax.”

“I don’t care.”

She waited for him to start removing his armor but the man just stood there staring at her. “What?”

“I’m not stripping in front of you.”

“Whatever.” Tris turned around and started to unbuckle her own boots.

“What are you doing?”

“Tri-klops, seriously, what? Did you think I was getting in fully clothed? Besides, haven’t you already seen me naked, twice? Can you stop fighting me every step of the way and just do as I ask? Somehow you are managing to make relaxing stressful.” The frustrated female turned around not bothering to wait for a reply. Stripping the last of her clothing, she slid into the pool, eyes closing on contact as the blissful heat flared up around her. “The heat feels so good,” she murmured quietly to herself even as the water covered her open wound causing it to sting.

 _Why am I doing this_? Tri-klops had agreed he owed her a favor because she could have waited until after Skeletor had finished with him. Still, this was encroaching on something he told himself was never going to happen. She wasn’t paying him any attention and for once the man allowed himself to watch the beautiful female in front of him. The girl seemed to just be doing what she said, relaxing. _I shouldn’t do this,_ but a part of him wanted to and in the end, that part won. He silently removed all of his clothing and then lowered himself gently into the pool.

When the water shifted, Tris spun around slowly to survey her bathing partner. His visor had stayed but everything else was gone. The water, which was up to her neck, was only waist high on him. _So much potential._ Tri-klops was nice to look at if nothing else; his muscles were well defined and his physique screamed of vitality. The warrior could easily pick her up and pound her into the wall for as long as he pleased. The thought made her body tighten in all the right places, so she slipped under the water to stop herself from ogling him.

Tri-klops was worried that he would become erect in the middle of this and ruin everything. If this was indeed for relaxation and not sex, having an erection would be inappropriate. _Besides, I do not want her. She’s a nuisance. Always talking and asking question after question,_ he thought trying to convince himself.

The girl emerged from the water a sight to behold seemingly lost in her own little world. Head back, eyes closed, water rolled off the lustrous skin and long, jet black strands of hair hung about her face framing it beautifully. _She is perfect_. He couldn’t help but move closer on instinct before stopping himself and retreating to the edge before she opened her eyes. _Yeah, I don’t want her alright._

Grabbing the soap from the side of the pool, Tris made her way over to where Tri-klops was. The best way to go about all of this was to just do what she wanted and not ask him beforehand. He allowed his mind to get in the way of what his body wanted all too frequently. They weren’t going to do anything sexual, but he would shy away nonetheless if she gave him the chance.

Tris took some of the liquid soap in her hands and began rubbing it along his shoulders and back. He was completely still, unnaturally still, as if trying not to spook her. The muscles of his back were tight and his skin was incredibly smooth except for the scars, evidence of his battle hardened life. She massaged the flesh, kneading muscles, trying to get him to relax.

Eventually she finished and made her way to his front. She never looked at him though, in an effort to make what they were doing the least intimate as possible. “I know that this is for relaxing, but since we are already here practicality says we should wash our entire bodies as well. We’ll have to get out of the pool for that.” Without saying the words, she was asking what he wanted to do.

He looked down at her and said in his gravelly voice, “Fine.”

Tris exited the pool first and faced the opposite wall waiting for him. When he was out, she turned around and kept her eyes glued to his face the whole time. She used the soap to clean him quickly from top to bottom skipping his groin so as not to cause him discomfort. She did notice that he was not hard and his control actually surprised her. Her hands moved along his body almost mechanically as if this were a duty and nothing more.

When Tris had finished with his body, she turned around to attend to her own and allowed him to clean his manhood in private. She was just rubbing the soap along her shoulders when a hand tentatively touched her upper back.

Tri-klops waited to see if she would reject his touch. He had actually felt his body loosen up nicely and wanted to return the favor. He ran his fingers through her long hair appreciating the silky feel of it and heard a quiet sigh that seemed to permit his intention. Taking the soap, the warrior used it to massage her back muscles in small circles. He studied the soft, glittering flesh his rough hands caressed noting the absence of any imperfections, both natural and acquired. Smooth and soft, but the muscles underneath were toned and strong. Without touching he would never have been able to tell because the muscles were not overly defined, but she undoubtedly possessed a strength beyond what her small, and light, form suggested.

Slowly, his hands followed the curve of her spine downward spreading the foamy bubbles along with his fingers. He took notice of the fact that not only was she totally relaxed, but her body leaned into his touch ever so slightly. Finally, his hands stopped their advance resting just above her butt, and the flesh looked so inviting that he was struggling not to continue.

Breath held, there was nothing but hope that he would caress her. Instead, the man skipped down to rub the soap along the backs of her thighs. She was disappointed but the sensation of his calloused, and yet dexterous, digits working along her body was still amazing. His hands were large enough to wrap completely around her lower legs and calves, so instead of moving to the front of her he slid his hands upwards from behind. _He doesn’t want to look at the front of my body_ , she thought with a small grin _._ He moved the soap up her thighs, but gave her groin a wide birth just as she had done. When his fingers trailed lightly over her hip bones the girl couldn’t help but tremble.

Tri-klops allowed his hands to continue their exploration under the guise of washing. He intended to skip her chest and move up to her shoulders but he misjudged the size of her breasts. His fingers brushed against them softly, which caused her to groan and lean backwards fully into his body. He tried to move to her shoulders, but tiny hands covered his own and pushed them down to cup her. When her hands left his, he rubbed the soap across her breasts slowly enjoying the way her breathing changed to quick pants and she hissed, “Yes,” quietly.

His touch was driving Tris crazy already and she never wanted it to end, but it did all too quickly. His hands moved up to her shoulders and upon finishing he stepped backward disconnecting their barely touching bodies. The girl took a deep breath and calmly returned to the water knowing that that had gone further than simple relaxing and she had instigated it against his wishes.

Following her in, they rinsed their bodies in silence each thinking about the small act that had just been performed.

When she turned around to find him again, he was sitting on an underwater ledge that ran around the inside of the pool. Tris felt the need to go to him. She was unsure of what to do when actually in front of him, but decided to sidle into his lap, making sure they weren’t physically connecting in any way. One single digit ran along her upper arm where the wound had been not but ten minutes previously.

“You are fully healed,” he said not quite questioningly.

“Yeah, I heal pretty fast.” She smiled at him feeling how comfortable and relaxed the atmosphere had become. Being with him in that moment felt…intimate and so right.

He stared at her for a long time and then ran one of his hands gently down the front of her face, closing her eyes on the way down, and trailed his fingers across her full lips. It felt really good and she leaned her head into his open palm, body relaxing further against his.

He held her for a long time when she grew bold her eyes flashing open to find his own staring right back. Tris gave him the full weight of her gaze and moved her hands up to take his visor off. He grabbed them instantly not allowing any further movement. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, neither speaking nor moving until slowly, his hands dropped back.

The black cloth that anchored the visor to his face was removed first. Tri-klops reached up underneath it and did something that she couldn’t see. When the visor was off his head, she turned it upside down to see that there were attachments on the inside that appeared to go into his eye sockets. The real reason for the visor was evident when she returned her eyes to his face; his own eyes were a beautiful blue but were clouded over with blindness. The scaring across them suggested injury, not genetics.

She was shocked, figuring it had been for enhancement not replacement. The visor had also covered the short black hair and perfect eyebrows he sported. _He is even more handsome without it._ Tris rose up in his lap and ran her hands through his hair like he had done earlier, feeling how soft it was.

She now understood his relationship with the thing; without it he felt weak. From the short time she had been around observing him, she knew that Tri-klops was not one to show this amount of vulnerability so she refrained from making any comments. They had shared a moment and Tris did not intend to ruin the rest of the evening by saying something stupid. “I am done now if you are,” she said softly instead.

He gave only a single nod in response. Getting out of the pool, she picked up the visor, and then led him by the hand into the bedroom. “It will be on the bedside table when you need it. Now, lie down on your stomach.” He did it without question and she noticed he had been suspiciously quiet, not that he was ever that talkative, and compliant since the removal of his visor. Moving to the side of the bed, she began rubbing along his shoulders knowing the bath had already done most of the work.

Tri-klops allowed himself to enjoy the massage, just one more indulgence of the night that he shouldn’t be taking. Her hands felt great as they followed the curve of each muscle and applied just the right amount of pressure. It was the least sexual thing that they had done all night but he felt himself start to harden. _No, why now?_ Taking his visor off had been a bad idea. Now he wouldn’t even be able to see her face to know what she was thinking.

When she finished with his back, the girl told him to turn over. “No.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t because… I’m… ”

Tris immediately understood the problem. “Tri-klops, it’s okay. Men get erections all the time, sometimes when they are not even in a sexual situation. I can ignore it.”

 _I believe that_. Nothing about him was good enough for her. She was beautiful and young, full of life; he was blind, irritable, and old. “That’s enough. I’m going to get dressed and go to sleep.” He rolled over to get out of the bed, but she put hands to his chest.

“Don’t. I am happy that you have finally allowed yourself to relax. If I am making you uncomfortable, I will leave.” She was so earnest in her declaration that Tri-klops couldn’t help but want her afterwards. Everything she had said and done in the past hour, her hands on his body now, the unexpected arousal from being unable to see her while she touched him; all of it brought forth his need with a vengeance. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her down on top of him, his erection pinned between their bodies. Foreplay wasn’t going to happen, _I want her now_. He grabbed the girl’s hips, lifted her into the air, positioning himself appropriately when she said, “Tri-klops, stop.”

 _Oh, if only._ Tris wanted him to take her, so badly, and her feral, starving mind screamed, _what are you doing?_ but… she wanted to respect his wishes. He wanted her physically, and now that he was excited it was overriding his other thoughts. He did not want her mentally though and he never intended to have sex with her; facts that the man had been adamant about. This was the same exact thing that had happened with Buzz-off and that had turned out badly.

There were so many things wrong with this time period in her opinion and this one could literally be the death of her. She was tired of it all, tired of going hungry and being told her needs were wrong, but she needed to learn how to survive here and casual sex was not easy to come by. If she was going to be with someone here, she needed to be in a relationship with them, which required… dating, a completely foreign concept.

Tazllolse didn’t date, they didn’t even have anything resembling dating. They laid with whomever they pleased, whenever they pleased, until it came time to choose a mate. Then, an individual would seek out a single companion based solely on breeding compatibility, and if that person wasn’t interested they would simply find another. Feelings often evolved after the couple had been together for some time, but initially it was entirely about finding the strongest mate you could that would give you what you desired in younglings.

Right now she wanted him so much but was certain that sleeping with him before they had developed some sort of relationship was a bad idea. She looked down finding such sorrow on his face that she almost changed her mind. Before she had thought about how he could be insecure, but finally understood as she was about to do herself what undoubtedly countless women had done before, reject his advances.

Tri-klops had known it all along; she played her games with him but in the end, she didn’t really want him. When normal looking women had been turned off so easily, how had he thought such a beautiful, young female could find him attractive?

“Tri-klops, I want you, but I promised you earlier that we weren’t going to have sex because you didn’t want to. It’s wrong to take advantage of you now that you are… ” and she struggled to find the vernacular, “horny. Later on, you will be upset that we did this.”

The girl slid out of his grasp and lay down next to him; rolling over, she extinguished the light quickly. Tris figured when his erection subsided, he would either curl his body around hers or face the opposite way. Holding her would be an assurance that he knew this was not true rejection.

What she didn’t count on was his erection lasting; the man fidgeted for what seemed like forever, unable to sleep. She felt sorry for him, knowing that an erection lasting for so long without relief had probably already turned painful. “Tri-klops, do you wish for me to leave?”

“No. I’m fine,” he muttered clearly not though.

Tris sighed. _This is my fault._ “Tri-klops. If you relieve yourself, we can both sleep.”

“No,” and he seemed angry at the suggestion.

“There is nothing wrong it.”

“I am not going to… relieve myself. It is unfitting, and I do not want your pity.”

 _So proud._ He was going to suffer because of her instead of lowering himself, as he viewed it, by masturbating. Even when she tried to live by the rules of this society, she lost, so it was almost as if she shouldn’t even try. Tris sighed internally, and then decided to do what she wanted, at least somewhat. _I could use the energy anyways._ “Then use me.”

“What?”

“We’ve already established that I’m not going to sleep with you, but you may use my body to relieve yourself if you wish. We can make it as impersonal as possible. No intimacy.”

“What does that mean?” Tris grabbed the arm that was furthest away from her and wrapped it around her torso. His body formed to the back of hers perfectly and she felt him pressed up against her butt. _He is so hard,_ she thought with a shiver as she imagined what it would feel like to have him sliding in and out of her. Shifting, she parted her legs so he lay in between them, and then stilled allowing him to do as he pleased.  

Tri-klops groaned, tightening his arm around her out of reflex. He understood what she intended and was satisfied with this solution. He thrust between her thighs sliding up against the wetness and reveling in the feel of it all after so long without any stimulation. She didn’t move and took shallow breaths trying to make it the least intimate as possible like she had stated, but it didn’t feel that way to him. Being sightless did nothing to help the situation as his other senses kicked into overdrive and were assaulted with everything that was this beautiful female.

Knowing she had already denied him the pleasure of entering her, at least for tonight, he decided to make the most out of the gift he was being given. Continuing to move slowly back and forth between her thighs, he turned her face around and angled it upwards for a strained kiss. “Tri-klops… ” she began to protest, but he didn’t give her the chance to continue. Her lips were soft against his own and she tasted perfectly sweet like he somehow knew she would. Strained or not, the girl came alive at that, her lips moving hungrily against his, and when he flicked his tongue out she sucked on it with fervor.

He left his hand there cradling her neck while he snaked his other underneath her to pull her up slightly and cup a breast. He squeezed softly kneading the flesh for a bit before flicking the nipple. The ensuing reaction was instant; her lips pulled away from his as she cried out and her hips finally moved. They slammed backwards into his, their bodies slapping together with the customary sound of flesh on flesh. The zeal in which she responded to his touch and his body aroused him even further. His release was coming and he was embarrassed by how quickly it was going to be over but it had been too long for him to do anything about it.

Tris kissed him again, her lips pushing against his and tongue delving into his mouth. _This is more personal than I intended,_ she thought but she wasn’t complaining because it was still so much less than she truly wanted. Her aura sucked away his own where they melded, but she could feel that he was on the verge of release already. When next their hips moved apart, she reached her hand in between them and grabbed him with a firm squeeze. He groaned into her mouth at that, and then his shaft throbbed spurting the thick, hot fluid onto her lower back and ass where she had purposely aimed him.

Tri-klops’ whole body was alight with the pleasure of his release. The girl pumped him while he came, milking every drop of fluid from him while he shuddered with pure gratification. The feeling of absolute contentment washed over him as he came down from his climax and began to bask in his afterglow. He kissed her for a few more seconds and then released her so that she could turn away from him again.

Neither of them said anything, but he did wrap an arm around her and pulled her in close to his body. Tri-klops buried his face into the back of her neck, breathing in her unique scent, and pulled the sheets up to fully cover them. He drifted off to sleep glad that she had at least stopped him from doing anything rash. _Skeletor would have been pissed._

* * *

Skeletor was furious when he entered the dining hall the next morning as the girl was nowhere to be found. Thinking maybe she was a bit late he decided to give her a few minutes. _She is lucky that I am in a forgiving mood._ The little vixen never showed though.

When his impatience finally overtook him, he slammed his hand down on the table and bellowed, “Where is that wretched girl?” even though there was no one in the dining hall capable of answering his question. Or so he thought.

Waiting for her cue, Evil-lyn walked into the hall nonchalantly. “Oh. I’m pretty sure I saw her walking with Tri-klops toward his room last night. Maybe she is still there with him,” and that was enough. Skeletor’s eyes burned to life and he grabbed his Havoc Staff. He moved with a grace that she had always admired, hell bent on causing someone excruciating pain. His form faded from view and she plucked a piece of fruit from the nearest table with a self-satisfied smirk.

“You do realize what will happen to both of them if he finds them together don’t you?” asked Trap-jaw from his sitting position at the closest table.

“Of course,” she replied letting him know that she was not only well aware of the consequences, but she was waiting with anticipation.

“Evil-lyn, you are one evil bitch.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” and she laughed. Trap-jaw couldn’t help but notice how eerily similar that laugh was to Skeletor’s in that moment.

* * *

Tri-klops was still wrapped around her body snoring softly when Tris woke. She smiled at the small noises and stretched her body to its full length happy to press herself more thoroughly against his large, warm frame. His seed had been fully absorbed and the energy it provided was enough to heal every injury from the battle and still some was left over to store. “Tri-klops, are you awake?” she asked when he stirred slightly. An angry grumble about too damn early was all she received. “Men are so hopeless,” the girl said jesting with him.

“Hmph. And women are nothing but trouble.”

 _So true,_ she thought smiling again. Tris sat up quickly glad nothing was hurting any longer and then switched on the light as a powerful yawn overtook her. _I should get to the dining hall. Skeletor will be mad if I do not make him breakfast._

“Having fun?” came the sorcerer’s voice piercing the silence of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter makes me giddy.
> 
> Tazllolian  
> -se is added to the end of words to show plurality just as –s is in English.  
> Listed in Order of Appearance:  
> Tazllol-Tris’ species


	16. An Unlikely Alliance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I am very appreciative to anyone who has taken time out of their days to read my work. Comments good and bad are always welcome. The good ones make me feel great and motivate me. The bad ones help me improve.

No one was moving. Tris could tell Tri-klops was awake, hoping somehow he could disappear even though this was his own room. Her attention was solely on Skeletor though and his eyes were beyond blazing, which meant he was beyond pissed off. _But why? His breakfast?_ “My lord, I was just getting up to make your breakfast. I overslept. Please forgive my carelessness.” Reforming the clothes she had stripped the night before allowed her not to be naked in this situation. _Then again, it might have been better to leave the clothes off._ Men were usually so much easier to manipulate if they were thinking sex.

“Unfortunately for you, I’m not in a forgiving mood.” Skeletor was furious that he had given the girl freedom to do his bidding and instead she was ignoring his orders to screw around with his subordinates. What was worse was that she was screwing Tri-klops, who he was already angry enough at. His Third-in-Command had tried to take Eternia for himself naught but a few weeks ago and was now playing with Skeletor’s new pet. _He needs to remember who the master is here._

“I will get to work right away, Lord Skeletor.” Tris intended to make her way quickly from the room but he grabbed her by the hair and yanked hard. No noise escaped her; after weeks of torture at his hands, she knew sounds of pain would only turn him on and lead to worse things. His hand remained tangled in her hair so that he could pull her violently into his lap, which was a prime position for torturing her like he so enjoyed.

“You will learn quickly that when I give an order it will be followed or the consequences shall be unpleasant.” At that word one of his claws dug into the base of her neck sharply. _What is he so angry about? It cannot simply be because of disobeying this one order. Well, he is insane so who…_ but her thought was abruptly cut off when his digits wiggled inside the wounds causing a searing pain that nearly blinded her.

Tri-klops used Skeletor’s moment of distraction to get his visor back on. It was bad enough to be naked with his boss in the room, he didn’t want to be blind as well. When everything was in place and his vision restored, he surveyed the situation in front of him. The girl was clothed, _thankfully,_ and Skeletor had her in his lap where she was visibly trying not to struggle against his might. The overlord was once again abusing her, but Tri-klops had no intentions of interfering. Somehow, he did want to explain that nothing had happened between them, but Skeletor wouldn’t believe their words so easily.

“I will not tolerate my new pet fucking my subordinates.” _Rulers and their overinflated egos_ , she thought in exasperation. He finally released her hair to Tris’ allayment but his Havoc Staff quickly appeared in his now free hand, and he used it to funnel a huge amount of energy in the direction of the bed. She couldn’t see it strike Tri-klops from her current position but heard him grunt due to the force of the blow.

“My lord, we didn’t have sex,” Tris tried.

“You have the audacity to lie to me. I have found you naked in bed together covered in each other’s scent and you will have me believe that you didn’t do anything. Besides, Evil-lyn has informed me of the looks you two share when you think no one is watching.” Skeletor had been skeptical at first but there was enough evidence here to prove their relationship. The sorcerer would never have admitted it out loud but he was angry because he wanted the girl for himself and now she had already slept with Tri-klops. _I will not take seconds from anyone, especially not from one of my own henchmen_.

“My lord, it is my fault. I asked him to take a bath with me so we could soothe our muscles after the fight. I swear though, we didn’t have sex.” Tris willed herself to be convincing and at the same time she increased her pheromone levels two-fold.

“I find that hard to believe. That man hasn’t had sex in forever and you are beyond enticing.” Skeletor dug his claws in deeper and trailed his hand down her back slowly creating angry red lines. The girl let out a hiss, fingers digging into her own thighs to keep from screaming.

“She turned me down,” Tri-klops wheezed out, clutching his abdomen at the point of impact and simultaneously gaining Skeletor’s attention. “Everything the girl says is true except I tried to take her and she told me no.” It was painful to admit out loud, but they were the only words that would make Skeletor recognize the truth.

Skeletor was evaluating his most trusted warrior, seeing the validity of the statement as it was not something any man would readily divulge. He was pleased with the situation now though, knowing the girl was still free for the taking. “Maybe it is true, but you have disobeyed a direct order and for that you shall be punished.” Her back was sliced open from shoulders to buttocks with one quick swipe of his claws. This time she let out a hushed cry, trying to hold it back. The small noise was enough to arouse his interests even though there were other things that needed his attention today. _I will have her now before something else gets in the way._

“If you will but let me go, I will prepare food for you.” Tri-klops’ words had convinced him that nothing had happened between them so maybe making his breakfast would pacify him, for now. Tris was hoping the one act he had performed was all that was intended. Her back was on fire and the blood was already streaming down her butt to pool on the floor.

“Oh, I am hungry but it is not food I desire anymore.” Skeletor tossed her over his shoulder avoiding the spike that would surely have impaled her small frame. She flinched at the harsh movement, which probably aggravated the new wounds, and he felt the blood begin to flow down his arm. He started toward the door but just outside the frame, turned back around swiftly and shot Tri-klops again. “Know your place, Tinkerer.”

Tri-klops locked eyes with Tris’ as they left the room and her face clearly displayed an unhappy response to Skeletor’s suggestive statement. Tri-klops found a sense of satisfaction that the girl didn’t want the other man. Quickly though, he was disgusted with himself. _Now I am happy he is going to rape her. Damn Evil-lyn and her big mouth._

He thought about what had happened and knew the witch must have a plan. The woman was cunning, not careless; it had not been a slip of the tongue whatever comment she had made. _Better be a damn good reason._ He got up slowly knowing the bruises from yesterday’s events would be twice as bad now that his boss had added to them. Tri-klops had noticed that unlike him, the girl was fully healed before Skeletor had begun his work on her. _She heals quickly but it is not consistent._

The purpose of the girl being allowed to wander about freely was to gain information from her; a fact that had not been forgotten by him. Some set of circumstances allowed her to heal more quickly than normal. Well, normal for her because the girl’s healing had always been faster than a human’s. There was also the mystery of her eyes. There were two distinct forms that were taken up, the solid black with colored flashes and the shifting colors with black flashes. So far he hadn’t been able to make any correlation between when the eyes were displayed and a specific purpose but was certain there had to be one.

So far Tri-klops wasn’t convinced the girl was dangerous enough to need the collar they fixed her with. The only power she had displayed so far was levitation and to create energy shields, which was nothing that Evil-lyn and Skeletor couldn’t do without breaking a sweat. He hadn’t had a chance to examine her field to see how strong it was while they were retreating from the attack, but it would be interesting to know how much strength the girl actually possessed, at least defensively.

The process of getting dressed was lengthy due to the new injuries mixing with the ache of the old ones. Finally done, he decided to go see Evil-lyn before anything else. _Damn witch has some explaining to do._

* * *

 _This weekend is going to be unfortunate._ Buzz-off knew having his queen, Stingrad, and the Andreenid Ambassadors at the palace was going to be beyond uncomfortable. Everyone in Andreenos, Eternos, and even other villages had heard of his encounter with Tris. The rumors had moved so fast that he had no doubt someone present in the room at the time of the transmission had been the one to initially spread them.

Even worse than that was the fact that most of the rumors weren’t even true. They were being spread by people who didn’t know what happened and had evolved into outrageous retellings with each new person who heard them. Buzz-off was made aware of the latest one by Mekaneck only two days ago in which apparently he had had a foursome with Tris and other Andreenids. His queen had publically denied all allegations over involvement in the act by anyone except Buzz-off and Tris, stating that there had been a brief relationship between them to which the extent was unknown.

For everything that had happened, the Andreenid leader really didn’t care about what anyone else thought anymore. After their encounter with Tris in Veridas, his thoughts on the matter had shifted. They were both consenting adults who had wanted to share their affections and it wasn’t anyone else’s business. The only thing he wanted now was for everyone to get over it and leave him alone. It was easy not to care what other people thought when you were alone though, when everyone would be in a room with you staring and whispering, things might be different. _I do not know how I will feel._

What he did know was that Eternos’ king and queen were sparing no expense to make his queen feel welcome. The entire palace was being decorated in honor of Andreenos with everything in different shades of cream and honey, emulating the colors of his people. The halls were covered in drapes depicting different stories of Andreenos’ lengthy past. There was a huge portrait of his queen hanging high above the tables in the dining hall. Apparently, the king had had it commissioned recently and figured it a good place to hang so all would see as they passed by. There had been daily trips to Veridas in order to obtain his queen’s favorite fruits and ensure that there was plenty of food for everyone.

Normally this would have been a proud day for Buzz-off, seeing his people honored in such a prestigious manner. In a way it still was but his queen was not happy with him and that put a damper on the whole thing. She had not forgiven his actions and he hadn’t been able to do anything to gain favor from her again. A part of her knew that this wasn’t entirely his fault but there was also a part of her that couldn’t let it go. Buzz-off was sure it was because her ego had been bruised by not only his but Stingrad’s lust over a girl from another species and not only another species, but one that looked so much different from their own.

 _Eventually things will change._ They had to spend too much time together discussing politics for it not to. For everything to work smoothly in Andreenos the queen and the current leader had to function as a unit and that was not the case right now. _My queen will enjoy this celebration and I will do my best not to ruin it for her._ Buzz-off decided he would be present for the introductions and to make an appearance, but afterwards it would be best to stay out of the way for most of the night. He was the only reminder that the girl had even existed; without him around people behaved in a more normal manner.

The worry that troubled him the most at present was that Skeletor would ruin this day for them. The sorcerer hadn’t shown his face in a couple of days and that was usually a sign he would try something soon. The Master hoped that Skeletor was unaware of the party, but that seemed unlikely due to the fact that Tri-klops’ Doomseekers managed to skate by their defenses all the time. _They might be preoccupied since Tris is there._

The girl was definitely a distraction but he still wished she was here with them instead of at Snake Mountain. It was doubtful that she would ever return though after their harsh treatment. She stayed at Snake Mountain willingly because there was nowhere else for her to go.

Mekaneck had been right when he said no one had tried to understand the girl, including Buzz-off. Tris was not evil, that was a fact. Her kindness was highly prevalent during her stay at the palace and Buzz-off finally admitted to himself that he cared for her. The more time that passed, the more he regretted his behavior. _It will never be the same but if I could but speak to her one more time._

His lament was cut off as he heard a strange slithering noise and his antenna picked up tiny vibrations coming from below him. “What the… ” but the words were stolen from his throat as all the air was squeezed out of his lungs. A set of dark, red vines had wrapped around his body and lifted him high into the air. The surprise attack left him with no way to defend himself and he was helpless as the vines pulled him through the hole they had made and deep underground.

* * *

Tri-klops didn’t bother knocking as he shoved the door to Evil-lyn’s room open. She was sitting in a chair with food on her lap, brought up from the kitchen. _Posing. Witch already knows what’s going on._ Slowly her face tilted upward to look at him.

“What happened to you?” Her voice sounded interested but it was all an act.

“Cut the crap, Evil-lyn. Why would you tell Skeletor about the girl and I? You were the one who kept pushing me to sleep with her in the first place.” That came out differently than intended but she responded too quickly for him to adjust the sentence.

“Mmm, and how was it?” Evil-lyn was almost grinning at the ease of which her plan had been carried out. Now that Tri-klops had slept with the girl, Skeletor would find her less than appealing. His pride would keep him from taking leftovers from one of his own minions.

 _Of course she would focus on that_. “I wouldn’t know. We didn’t do anything,” and his words came out with a bite to them.

Evil-lyn studied the swordsmen noticing the readily conveyed anger immediately, but underneath it all, there was also disappointment that let her know that his words were true. “Why not?” she asked with true interest this time.

“I got turned down, politely.”

As glad as she was that her plan had succeeded, Evil-lyn felt bad for him. _I was sure the girl would sleep with him._ Tri-klops had been handsome before his accident but afterwards not a single woman would lie with him. Too honorable to take a whore, he had not been with anyone since his eyesight was stolen. “Wait, if you didn’t do anything then why was Skeletor mad?”

“She stayed in my room last night probably to avoid sleeping on the rock in her cell. Skeletor found us like that and thanks to your whisperings in his ear, flew into a rage like always. I believe his intention is to take the girl now whether she wishes it or not.” Tri-klops was still trying to ascertain the witch’s motives but his anger was waning due to her obvious, and genuine, show of emotion at his unfortunate night.

“What?!” Evil-lyn shouted. _Tri-klops didn’t fuck her so now Skeletor still wants the little wench. Argh._

 _“_ He started punishing her for defying his orders and like before got excited while doing it. He didn’t actually say the words but hinted at it as he carried her out of my room. Why do you care?” The witch didn’t reply, but it didn’t take him long to put it all together. “You were angry at her for being with Skeletor. That’s why you told him about us; in hopes that he would punish us and not touch her anymore. If you weren’t already aware, she didn’t sleep with him.”

When said out loud, it sounded petty. “I was aware.” Still, the sorceress didn’t want Skeletor to be with the other woman anymore now than she had before.

“Your plan has backfired. Not only is he more interested but there is no time for you to change his mind in another fashion.” Tri-klops had never guessed that Evil-lyn would feel threatened by the girl or that she still had feelings for Skeletor. She had been the one to leave him after all.

Evil-lyn didn’t respond; her mind was working too furiously. _I need a plan_. Lucky for her the perfect opportunity presented itself as a Doomseeker flew into the room. The image it projected showed a mass of vines attacking the royal palace in Eternos. The Masters were fighting and losing, each one being dragged underground to disappear.

“Go to the throne room and I will get Skeletor. Hopefully he hasn’t already damaged your little whore too much,” and with that she was gone.

* * *

The bed Tris had thought so comfortable only yesterday did not feel that way when thrown upon it today. It connected with the gouges he had made in her back and she cried out in agony. Energy swept over her and immediately the pain receded. Healing the wounds was necessary because she needed to formulate a plan to get out of this and couldn’t focus past the torment. She didn’t want to sleep with him but before any words could leave her lips, all her clothes disappeared. _Crap._

Skeletor was silent while he removed his cape and crawled onto the bed. The girl did not have lust in her eyes right now but nor did she look upon him in disgust. Her face actually suggested she was thinking heavily about something else and that was not what he wanted to see. At first, he had planned to take her immediately but now he wanted to see desire on that beautiful face.

Kneeling over the girl, his hand caressed the smooth plane of her stomach. Face turning up to his slightly worried, she was probably remembering that first day when he had turned this same flesh into a mesh of wounds. “My lord, I don…” but she fell silent when he grabbed her neck in one lightning fast movement and squeezed lightly in warning to be silent. There was an immediate show of fear, which only excited him further, but something else passed through her eyes momentarily. It almost looked like arousal or at least like she had enjoyed that. _Interesting._

Skeletor decided to test a theory. His grip loosened and he waited until she became distracted again by whatever she was thinking and then squeezed abruptly. The same expression flitted across her face. He wasn’t sure whether it was the pressure or the show of dominance but there was no doubt that she liked it.

Now that he had her full attention, he moved down to run a claw gently over her right breast before cupping it. He lacked lips and a tongue, which were the best way to stimulate a woman’s breasts, but could still play with the sensitive nipples by hand. He pinched one softly and was rewarded with a quiet gasp. After a few seconds of massaging, he switched hands to stimulate her other breast and slid his free hand between her legs.

Her colorful eyes were staring into his empty ones and they slowly changed from fearful to wanting. Skeletor rubbed the outside of her body and she propped herself up to watch him do it. He manipulated the sweet flesh, noting which places were the most sensitive based on her facial expressions. When he slid a finger inside, the girl gasped again and fell back against the sheets, eyes closed. Skeletor searched for that sweet spot and found it quickly enough.

Tris was lost in the pleasure of his hands on her body. She had not planned on sleeping with him but every stroke of his finger encouraged her to forget about the previous decision. The pressure had already started to build and the girl could not stop squirming against the almost overwhelming sensations. “Eyes. Open them,” he commanded. Tris breath caught in her throat in reaction to his dominance. She obeyed him and stared up intently at his face, showing him just how proficient he was at this particular task.

From that point on the girl gazed at him with appreciation and Skeletor felt himself harden behind his covering. The eyes were the most interesting he had ever seen and the color shifts drew him in more than he imagined they would. Lost in the gaze, the sorcerer almost missed the breathing change signaling her imminent release, and her body shivered against the sheets only moments later. Except for a low moan it was a quiet release, just a prelude to the screaming blissfulness that he would rip out of her later on.

Her body gave a few more twitches as the power and pleasure finished lighting up her nerves, and then finally she stilled with an almost dazed expression. _Uhhh… that felt good,_ she thought contentedly; it had been so long since she had had a proper orgasm, and even this one had been mild. She wasn’t finished though, far from it in fact. That release had only reminded her how much she missed sex and how much she missed feeding.

Her body was begging for him now and she decided to give them what they both wanted. Rolling over, Tris lifted herself onto hands and knees, gazing at him over her shoulder. His face held that look that only a man gets during sex, that look that is both arrogant and confident in the fact that he is about to take what he wants. That look caused her entire body to thrum with need and her groin tightened almost painfully.

Skeletor growled at the girl’s display and ripped off his own belt to reveal himself long and thick, and more than adequate enough to satisfy her tiny frame. The sorcerer positioned himself behind her but instead of burying himself he grabbed her hair and forced her head down against the bed. His hands moved to her hips, claws digging in as he spread her apart for a better view.

The power in his body and the sharpness of his claws already bloodying her hinted at the brutality he was capable of. _I was right; he is going to be rough._ The tip of him pushed against her, and she groaned hands entwining in the sheets. One of his own hands left her body to rub himself up and down against her slick opening. Tris tried to push back onto him but he was stronger than her even with only one hand. _He is repaying me for teasing him that night._ The sensation was too much and she cried out in need and frustration.

“What do you want, my pet?” Skeletor asked in a condescending tone. She whimpered and tried to push back against him but he wouldn’t allow it. “Say it.”

“Fuck me,” and it was true in that moment. She forgot about Buzz-off and Tri-klops, only wanting the man who was pressed up against her with the promise of so much more only seconds away.

“That does sound appealing. However, punishing you sounds almost as good.”

His body left hers and she let out a shout, “Please!”

“As you wish.” Skeletor grasped her hips tightly and once again pressed himself up against her.

“Yes!” she vocalized.

The girl squirmed and he prepared to slam himself into her wet and waiting form when, “Skeletor!” came Evil-lyn’s voice from somewhere behind him.

“Get out!” he bellowed.

“My lord, you are needed in the throne room. It cannot wait.” The witch could not see if he was already inside the girl but it didn’t appear so. _Just in time._

“Yes, it can.” The girl wiggled her ass begging him to enter her apparently not giving a damn about their intruder.

“Someone else is trying to take over Eternia. He has already captured all of The Masters. What is more important, that stupid girl or your place as ruler of all Eternia?” Evil-lyn was sure the question would get his attention.

“Argh.” _I cannot let someone else take Eternia out from under me._ “Later, my pet,” Skeletor said caressing her backside, and then he let go and pulled back. She flipped over to look at him with the most disappointed look he had ever seen and it almost made him regret his decision. _Almost._ He reclothed both of them and slipped off the bed gracefully.

Tris watched him leave relieved and unhappy all at the same time. Evil-lyn remained behind and when he was gone the woman turned on her, eyes ablaze with fury and magic. “Listen hear, Whore. I do not care who you sleep with but keep your hands off Skeletor.”

“Evil-lyn, I do not want him.”

“Yes, because you didn’t suck his dick before and you weren’t about to fuck him now,” she replied with contempt.

“True, but to be honest with you, I want Tri-klops. Why do you care anyways? Are you two together?” she asked, truly curious about their relationship.

“It’s none of your business. If you want Tri-klops, why did you turn him down last night?”

“Answer my question and I will answer yours,” Tris countered.

Evil-lyn contemplated the choice for a moment and then said, “Fine. Skeletor and I were together before his accident. I ended the relationship afterwards but I still don’t want anyone else touching him.”

“Tri-klops didn’t want to have sex with me. He stated it more than once and I wasn’t going to take advantage of him when his body reacted against his will. If he still feels that way, I would be with him. Skeletor has probably ruined any chance of that happening now though. Why did you terminate the relationship?”

“Things changed and he was much rougher in every other way afterward that I expected his insanity would make sex with him much less pleasurable than it used to be. I hadn’t felt anything for him in a long time until recently.” Evil-lyn realized she had over-shared. “Quite crafty, aren’t you?”

The girl smiled shyly at having been caught but perked up quickly. “Evil-lyn, whether you like me or not you can believe that I do not want Skeletor. I do, however, have a proposition for you that I believe will help us both get what we want.”

Evil-lyn was intrigued by that statement. “I’m listening.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe. I can’t wait for the next chapter.


	17. Simple Attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was playing with this idea for a while and one of my readers also suggested it so I hope you enjoy. Thank you, HazzaTL3. I added a little bit to the original chapter and fleshed out some of the concepts, but for the most part it is the same.

Skeletor had watched the events at the palace unfold and was intrigued by this Evilseed. His power to control plants was so unique that the overlord did not have an Evil Warrior who could compare with him. _I may be able to use him._ He had done well against The Masters and his plan would have succeeded if a new player had not shown up. Fortunately for Skeletor, the plant man failed to take over Eternia but his enemies had gained a new ally and that was not favorable. Mossman was powerful in his own right and was basically the good equivalent of Evilseed. _Fire would take them both out. If I can find a different weakness for Mossman, Evilseed would be more valuable to me._

Altogether, the time had not been a total waste but he was not happy at having chosen this over relieving himself with the girl. He descended his throne swiftly and made his way to the dining hall. Neither Evil-lyn nor the girl had shown up and he wondered what they could be doing.

Upon entering the small room he found Evil-lyn perched on a table top eating a piece of fruit. Her body was leaning backwards, supported by an outstretched arm and legs were crossed at the knees, one foot gently bobbing up and down. “Skeletor, the girl has prepared dinner for you. She asked me to make sure her master was comfortable and had everything he needed. I believe she is trying very hard to please you.” Evil-lyn’s voice came out low and Skeletor felt a spreading warmth through his groin.

“Where is she now?” he questioned.

“The girl went to choose a room like you told her to so she would have somewhere to sleep tonight without being an imposition on someone else. I suppose she will return soon though to be sure you are pleased with your meal.” Evil-lyn could barely contain her excitement but at what he did not know. Skeletor sat down at the table behind her intending to eat his food but the woman was distracting. The opportunity to admire her frame was all too convenient as she never even turned to look at him. The garment she wore hugged her hips and accentuated her backside, which was even more enhanced due to her current seated position.

Skeletor tore his gaze away and looked down at his food. There was a grilled fish that smelled of lemon lying atop a bed of white rice. One bite revealed that the food was not only pleasing to his eyes and nose but tasted great as well. He quickly began to consume the rest of it when the girl glided in smiling. She was wearing less clothing than normal and the newly exposed skin was illuminated as if she had her own internal light. The gloves and boots had been removed, her hair was pulled backwards to reveal all of her collared neck, and she was carrying a washrag as if to clean with. Her face turned to him and the smile developed into a beam that showed off perfect teeth. “My lord, how is your dinner?”

“It is adequate.” Skeletor gave credit where it was due but he wasn’t going to lavish her with praise for such a simple task. The girl moved towards him at a brisk place with an indicative bounce in her step until she was only a few inches away.

“I am glad you approve.” Tris could almost see his mind racing with all the possibilities now that she was standing with her legs pressed up against his left hip. It was easy enough to slide into his lap and run a hand along his shoulders. “How did everything go in the throne room?”

“None of your concern. So you have chosen a room?” he asked, claws moving instantly to her tiny waist. One of them slipped under the tight corset, massaging her back in leisurely circles.

She closed her eyes for a moment as a wave of desire spread through her but that wasn’t the purpose of this act, so she calmed herself and continued their conversation. “Yes, I have. It is the large one on the far side of Tri-klops’ lab.”

“That is not a room,” replied Skeletor spitefully, his hand becoming more forceful against her back.

Tris didn’t think it was about the room; no, definitely about her being so close to Tri-klops. _Hopefully it won’t matter soon._ The excited girl couldn’t stop beaming like an idiot but she was positive this plan was going to succeed. “I know. It’s a hall and will have plenty of room for all the stuff I’m going to get.” She rose up out of his lap, trailing hands along his body as she moved toward Evil-lyn and leaned up against the other woman. “Evil-lyn has volunteered to help me decorate. I will be busy cleaning all night tonight so I can get an idea of what I want and where it will all go. I’ll see you in the morning then.” Her body slowly turned away from him, but Skeletor noticed the lingering fingers that smoothed down Evil-lyn’s arm as she walked away.

His body’s happy reaction to the two women touching so unexpectedly was instantaneous. _What is going on? Evil-lyn doesn’t even care for the girl._ He stood up and was about to demand the young seductress accompany him back to his room when he had a thought. _Evil-lyn._ The woman seemed interested in him at the moment and he pondered making the offer to her instead or maybe both of them.

His indecision was his downfall as Evil-lyn hopped off the table. Her eyes bore into his empty sockets; there was too much knowing in them and her customary smirk slowly played across full lips. “I’m going to retire as well. Good night, Lord Skeletor,” and those curvy hips sashayed right out the door.

_What the hell just happened?_

* * *

For the next few days, Skeletor noticed that the two women were almost always touching whenever he glimpsed them. Well, the girl did most of the active touching, but Evil-lyn tolerated it and seemed to be enjoying it if her lack of rejection was any indication. They were not discreet about it either as if they did not intend to hide this new attraction toward each other from any of the men.

As much as she seemed interested in Evil-lyn, the girl was also eager to gain his attention. She wore less clothing than normal, sometimes almost nothing at all, and made sure to display herself in all the right ways whenever she cleaned something in his presence. Frustratingly, he had not been able to capitalize on the situation as something always called for his attention elsewhere. Three times the girl had been within his grasp, literally straddling him and rubbing her lithe body against his own, and yet they were interrupted. If it wasn’t so ridiculous, then he would have sworn the damn female and The Masters were conspiring to keep him constantly aroused and unrelieved.

The situation had understandably fouled his mood, which did not bode well for whomever had just woken him from his slumber with a quiet knock on his door. When he got to the door, he yanked it open with his eyes already ablaze and growled, “What do you…?” but couldn’t finish as he finally registered the sight in front of him. Evil-lyn and the girl were huddled together outside his door covered in slowly fading pockets of bubbles as though they were interrupted midway through a bath. The sorceress was wrapped in a soft, purple towel while the girl wore nothing, only crossing her arms to cover her breasts.

“Lord Skeletor, we were wondering if we could use your bathing pool. The girl and I were trying to take a private bath when the noise attracted Beastman’s attention. He tried to spy on us,” Evil-lyn claimed in a disgusted tone. “Yours is well insulated and no one would dare interrupt us for risk of angering you, my lord.” Skeletor didn’t say anything; he didn’t actually know what to say because this whole situation had turned even more ridiculous. The request seemed sincere, but he couldn’t help feeling something was off.

“Master,” the girl said, peering up at him from behind a lock of hair covering her left eye, “we are already wet and soapy. Please?”

If the girl wanted Evil-lyn instead of him, then he would not stand in the way. If it was another man, then he would have done something, but he didn’t have the parts to satisfy her if she was interested in females. However, he had no interest in listening to whatever was about to go on if he wasn’t going to participate. “No. Now go away and do not annoy me again tonight or you will find out exactly what angering me will result in,” he threatened.

“But…”

“Girl!” called Evil-lyn sharply. “Come. He has given his order. We will ask Tri-klops instead; he is honorable enough not to spy on us even if our presence will irritate him.”

Skeletor didn’t know if they would actually seek out the tinkerer or not, but Evil-lyn had just said the one thing that could get him to do what they wanted. _The damn witch probably knows it too._ “Evil-lyn. I will entertain you tonight, but do not ask again in the future.”

“Thank you, my lord,” said the girl, her face lighting up. She grabbed Evil-lyn’s hand and pulled her towards the room that was adjacent to his main bedroom. The sorceress allowed herself to be led and upon entering the hallway to the bathing area turned back to look at him. Her face said clearly that they were about to do naughty things and he was not invited.

The mage returned to his bed as if there weren’t two naked women in his bathing room and tried to sleep but to no avail. _Better insulated, my ass. I can hear everything._ There was laughing of the full, throaty kind, and then a series of gasps that made him wonder what they were really doing in there. A sharp intake of breath and a hiss of pleasure caught his attention. Skeletor couldn’t help the grunt that escaped him as he rapidly hardened under the sheets.

His anger at being aroused once again with no opportunity for release was brimming and only increased the longer he listened to the distinctive noises coming from the other room. He became increasingly uncomfortable as the minutes passed and after a half hour contemplated finally relieving himself although he was loathe to do it.

His hand had just moved to his thigh when he heard the voice, “Lord Skeletor.” Evil-lyn and the girl were standing there, both now wrapped in the luxurious, purple towels. He removed his claw but there was no disguising the bulge in the sheet that had drawn the women’s attention. Both of them moved closer and his erection twitched involuntarily at their proximity. Evil-lyn and the girl gave each other a look that was incomprehensible to him, and then looked back at him.

Skeletor surveyed his most valuable warrior with the heat of arousal, not anger, burning in his eyes. He thought he saw an answering fire in her own, but then she yawned and said almost sleepily, “My lord, you should do something about that. Night,” and they were both gone in a wrapping of shadows; a magic he had seen Evil-lyn perform more than once.

The anger that was always just below the surface roared up inside him now. Whatever their intentions had been that night, that last part was deliberate to tease him. _Bitches._ He lifted himself up, intending to punish them both severely for this, but there was a problem: his pesky erection just wouldn’t leave. The thought of himself trying to punish someone with a full blown erection was just absurd enough to put him back on his ass. “Argh,” he raged, the very sight of the hallway to his bathing pool seeming to mock him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Outside their master’s door, both women had been waiting to hear something in acknowledgement of a job well done. His frustrated call was more than enough, causing them both to smirk at each other. As good as that had been, their plan for the following morning was truly priceless.

They went their separate ways for now, each thinking how easy and fun it was to tease the most powerful villain in all of Eternia. 

* * *

“It is complicated.”

“It’s not complicated. You need to forget about the female.”

“It’s not that simple, Stingrad. You touched her but for a moment, I was with her intimately. She kissed me, she touched me, she wanted me… and she allowed me to do such things to her. I was inside of her and…” but he couldn’t finish the thought; the words were stuck inside of him and he couldn’t get them out.

“And?”

“And… I felt something for her. I didn’t realize it at first because of how ashamed I was, but… I just can’t forget about her no matter how hard I try.” Buzz-off’s words got progressively quieter as the sentence went on and there was a feeling of quiet despair to them. “I know it is disgusting, but it doesn’t feel that way.”

Stingrad was evaluating him and his words he knew, but Buzz-off had decided he needed to speak about this to someone, and he trusted no one’s council nor discretion more save his queen’s. “I feel I am failing you, my lord.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am your chief advisor but I am afraid on this matter I have no council to offer you.”

“I do not believe advising me on my sex life is in your job description.”

The larger andreenid gave a small chuckle at his joke. “Indeed it is not.”

Buzz-off gave a quick smile in return, and then sighed unhappily before continuing, “Put it out of your mind for now as shall I. Tonight we must focus our attentions on pleasing the queen. I have decided to remain out of sight for most of the evening after the initial introductions. I believe it will make things smoother for all involved. I will need you to attend the queen in my absence.”

“It shall be done.”

“Good.”

Stingrad bowed, and then headed for the exit of Buzz-off’s personal quarters. He paused in the doorway before turning to look back at his leader, “Normally, I would say choose your people, your duty, and your queen above all else, which I know you want to do, but I have never seen you like this. You are conflicted and your heart is… elsewhere. You are one of the greatest Andreenids in all of our long history, and you have not often been wrong in your choices. Just something to think about.” His advisor departed and the room was silent once more.

Without the other andreenid there, he suddenly felt oppressed in the foreign space. The Andreenid warrior had taken a room at the palace because he was here so often, but it had never truly felt like home. The room had a bathroom and furniture, and that was sufficient. It allowed him a view of the palace grounds through the expansive windows as well as a way for him to escape to the air. He opened said windows now, staring out at the rising sun with a feeling of hopelessness.

As out of it as he had been that day, carrying Tris through the honeycombs of Andreenos had reminded him how much he missed flying. Oh, he flew everyday but there was a difference between doing it because you had to and because you wanted to. Taking to the air was a sensation like no other and it offered a freedom that nothing else could give. The wind streamed across the body, bathing it in different textures and smells. High up, the ground spread outward like a never ending landscape, and his eyes were perfect for taking in every minute detail.

Bringing the girl with him had felt right and could only have been made better if she had wings to share it with him. _Maybe that is why species lines should not be crossed. No one can understand what it is like to have wings but those that have them._ Buzz-off shut the windows and returned to the emptiness that was his room. Unlike the humans, Andreenids did not wear clothing so preparing oneself for an event did not take much time. The only thing left to do was wait for the convoy from Andreenos to arrive.

* * *

Skeletor was in a foul mood as he made his way toward the throne room. His mind had been racing all night about the situation between Evil-lyn and the girl, and he had not been able to sleep or focus on anything else. At first he had believed that they had truly been interested in each other, but the more he analyzed their behavior, the more he thought that they were just teasing him. _Bitches_ , he thought again, _when I get my hands on them._

Still, he had other things to attend to right now. The events yesterday at the palace had brought the celebration Eternos was planning for Andreenos to his attention. The situation was perfect for further damaging the relationship between the two groups. The only thing they needed now was a foolproof plan. If only he could get the damn wenches off his mind so he could think.

Tri-klops, still moving carefully from the injuries Skeletor had given him, walked up the hall flanked by Trap-jaw and Beastman. They each stopped in front of him and nodded their heads, “Lord Skeletor.”

“We need a plan of attack for the party in Eternos tonight,” he said abruptly. The sorcerer looked at each of them in turn noting the surprise and scrambling of thoughts going on as they tried to come up with anything to say. In the end, no one said anything. “Incompetent fools.” Skeletor whipped around and with both arms threw open the doors to the throne room thinking he would have to probe Evil-lyn for ideas. She, at least, could be relied upon to say something intelligent.

At first he thought she was laying on a flat surface at the bottom of the throne but there was a tangle of arms and bodies such that he did not know who was there. Skeletor allowed his eyes to adjust as he wandered closer and decided it was indeed Evil-lyn lying on the rock with the girl on top of her. White skin flush up against glittery and purple cloth blending with black, both woman were a sight to behold.

They were only clothed in the barest of essentials, similarly designed sets of lingerie in their chosen colors. The women were staring at each other, and then shifted their heads simultaneously to peer at him. The girl rested her head against the ample chest of the woman below allowing one hand to massage the flesh of the witch’s bare hip. Evil-lyn’s other leg was positioned such that the knee was bent upwards in between the girl’s thighs. “Lord Skeletor,” they said in unison, both voices exuding sex.

Skeletor was at a loss for words by their obvious lust toward him. The girl was happy to entertain him but Evil-lyn had not shown interest in him since his accident. They continued to pet each other and stare at him as if in anticipation. The mage walked forward, and then stopped when he heard the other men following him. The girl giggled as her gaze shifted to one of the men behind him. He turned around and growled, “Leave now.” He was surprised when all three of his warriors looked as if they might actually refuse, but finally, they made their way out of the throne room.

The excitement that brewed as Skeletor glided toward them was insuppressible. The constant teasing had been just as frustrating for her as it had for their master. She had calmed herself repeatedly by skimming some of the sexual energy from all of them, but it was nothing compared to a full feed. The bathing pool last night had been almost too much for her to handle.

Previously, Evil-lyn had stayed reserved during the teasing, barely touching, but allowing Tris to do as she pleased. She had learned that the other woman had never been with another female intimately before so she was taking it slow. Tris had no such reservations; she had been with, and thoroughly enjoyed, plenty of other women. She had suggested to Evil-lyn that for their plan to work the following morning, they needed to be more comfortable with each other. That was where the bath had come in. There had been stroking and massaging between them, and Tris had even gone so far as to lick the other women’s skin. Evil-lyn had been stiff at first but gradually welcomed her small advances. Tris’ body came alive when she felt that and she had almost taken the woman then, but Evil-lyn was not truly a lover of women. However, by the time they were finished, they were both exceedingly ready to share their lord.

Tris had come up with an easy plan to reunite the two ex-lovers and free herself up to be with Tri-klops. Skeletor and Evil-lyn both lusted after each other readily, so that was not the problem. The sorceress needed to remember her true feelings for him, and Skeletor needed to be encouraged to behave. The latter would be harder to ensure than the former because merciless, sadistic warlords tended to do as they pleased heedless of the wishes of anyone else. However, by everything she had learned about their relationship, Skeletor may have had feelings toward Evil-lyn that went beyond simple attraction, and that should help him control himself.

They both just needed the push. It had become apparent to her that Skeletor was not going to take anyone against their will because he had tried to arouse her before initiating actual intercourse. Tris would stay with them in the beginning to see how rough their master might get because she could take the worst of it where Evil-lyn could not. If all went well, the girl would leave them alone the rest of the night and hopefully would be free to have Tri-klops if she so desired. If not, they would bring him orally and things would have to be resolved in a different manner.

Skeletor sat down on the rock and immediately the girl slithered into his lap, hands resting on his forearms as he grabbed her waist. Evil-lyn lifted herself off the rock and pressed her athletic body up against the girl’s, head gently placed on the other woman’s shoulder. His gaze flicked between the both of them and in that moment he wished more than anything to have lips again.

Tris could tell what Skeletor was thinking and felt bad for him. She turned her head toward Evil-lyn and pulled the other woman’s lower lip into her mouth. The female magician appeared surprised at first but soon melted into the kiss. Only moments into it Skeletor growled and pulled Tris away from Evil-lyn. She pushed him backwards so that he was reclining against the rock and started to kiss his chest. Evil-lyn move up on his other side and together they kissed and nipped at his exposed flesh. Removing all of his upper garments, the older woman raked her nails across one of his nipples. Skeletor let out a hiss and pulled her too him, biting at the flesh of her neck.

Skeletor allowed his hands to explore the girls’ bodies and he enjoyed the feeling of their lips against his skin. The girl was slowly making her way lower and Evil-lyn pushed away from him to join her. The witch pulled off his belt and exposed his hard flesh to the room. She grasped the base of him firmly and smirked at his low growl while the girl simply watched.

 _Well my job is almost done and wasn’t it easy?_ Once Evil-lyn had allowed herself to remember her feelings for him and feel the intense heat that was his body, she was hooked. _Now I need to convince him to behave._ Tris kissed back up his body and made her way behind him. She watched, fascinated, as the other woman pumped his body up and down. There was a moment of regret; she was readily giving up her chance at a powerful feed, but it was for the best.

Tris licked his shoulder, but they were both so engrossed in each other that he never acknowledged her. She finally had to bite down on his flesh to get him to look at her. She released him and whispered into his flesh, “Last chance,” and nothing more. He looked at her briefly with a hint of anger, he wasn’t used to being dictated to, but there was also acknowledgment and she knew he understood.

She locked eyes with Evil-lyn and silently asked if the woman was certain of her decision. Evil-lyn nodded and Tris left Skeletor’s body. She turned around and was almost out the door when Skeletor groaned loudly. _I’m so good,_ the seductress thought smiling to herself.

Skeletor looked down at the woman who had engulfed him and rubbed a hand across her cheek. Her eyes turned upward to stare at his face. The girl had only ever been a substitute; the woman he had always wanted was right here. It would be easy to screw this up by being too rough for that had always been the problem. Evil-lyn’s rejection of him before and the girl’s words now were all a warning; if he didn’t do this right neither of them would lie with him again. They had him because he wasn’t going to rape them and they knew it. Somehow, in this moment Skeletor didn’t mind.

Evil-lyn liked it rough, but Skeletor could go too far and he had before. _I will not be gentle, but I will not damage her either._ He picked the woman up swiftly and carried her down the hall to his bedroom. This time he would not be interrupted. Eternia be damned.

* * *

“Skeletor is one lucky bastard,” Trap-jaw exclaimed. “Man. The things I could do with two women at the same time.” Tri-klops looked at the other man who was lost in his own head, apparently contemplating the possibilities of a threesome. The scientist was sure being with two woman at the same time could be great but not with Evil-lyn. The woman was more like a sister to him.

“Not with Evil-lyn though,” stated Beastman, voicing Tri-klop’s thought. “The witch is not my idea of a good time; the girl, however, is another story. I would love to play with that delicate piece of ass.” He was perturbed by the other man’s comment but put it out of his mind quickly. His main focus was on Evil-lyn’s sudden change of heart. The magician hadn’t wanted Tris to be with Skeletor only a day ago and had actively sought to rid them all of the girl by way of Skeletor’s anger. Now, she had somehow flipped her emotions entirely such that now she was about to take Skeletor and the girl to her bed? _It doesn’t make sense._

He had no idea what the younger female was thinking either. Since their night together, he hadn’t seen nor heard much of her. Tri-klops had just assumed she wasn’t interested in teasing him any longer as he was more than certain her interest had been feigned. This turn of events only seemed to solidify that knowledge in his mind.

“Skeletor doesn’t share though. If he has the girl, there is no way the rest of us will get a taste. Greedy sum-bitch,” swore Beastman.

“Good thing he’s not having me then.” All three men spun around to find the girl in question standing right behind them. “Oh and Beastman, you never had a shot anyways,” she said with a grin. “Tri-klops, may I speak with you… in private?”

“Fine.” Tri-klops did not know what was going on but thought it best to find out.

“Great.” Tris slipped an arm through his, feeling the impressive bulk of muscle that was his bicep. She turned around to look back at the other two men and winked.

Beastman growled and spat out, “Bitch.” Trap-jaw just laughed and gave her a thumbs up.

When they finally made it to his lab, the silent warrior let go of her and she locked the doors behind them. “What game are you playing at?” Tri-klops figured being direct would get her attention quickly, and leave no room for ambiguity. He was coming to realize that the girl could be quite manipulative.

“I wasn’t aware that I was.”

“Then what was all that in the throne room?”

“That is what we call solving a problem. Evil-lyn is no longer going to be looking for a reason to off me and Skeletor will no longer want me, assuming everything goes well with them tonight.” _And hopefully it will._

“What does that mean?”

“Look. You know they were together before right? Evil-lyn left him because he was too rough after the accident among a couple of other things, but I have smoothed that wrinkle. They are probably going to get back together. That leaves us free to…” and then Tris trailed off because she realized she was making a huge assumption. She had avoided Tri-klops after their night together because she wasn’t sure how he would react and because she was enacting her plan with Evil-lyn. However, Tri-klops hadn’t sought her out either, so maybe he had no intention of being with her.

“Leaves us free to what?” he said because she had gotten distracted inside her own head.

“To fuck… if you want to.” Tris couldn’t tell what he was thinking; his face was completely shut down.

“I find the idea… appealing.” She was about to light up but didn’t even get the chance. Tri-klops picked her up as if she weighed nothing and crushed her lips to his. Her arms encircled his neck tightly and she kissed him back. The kiss grew until it was a blur of lips, tongue, and teeth igniting her inner fire. _Oh, yes._ It was everything she wanted and he tasted so good that she couldn’t help but pull energy from him, gently though. Letting her breathe finally, he suggested in a lust-filled voice, “My room.”

Tri-klops started to move towards the door but hesitated when Tris uttered, “Tri-klops,” oh so quietly. The tone was not a good one.

“What?”

“We can’t. Not tonight at least…”

“Why not?” he questioned while lowering her to the ground.

“We need to be sure first that everything will go well between those two. If not, Skeletor will look to me again, and then he would be quite angry with us for doing this,” she disclosed.

Tri-klops saw the predicament and knew the words were logical but he was not in the mood to wait. “Fine.”

“I’m going to go. I need to finish preparing my bedroom. Tomorrow we will know for sure what has happened.” This development was not what the swordsmen had wanted to hear and she knew it. Tris could see the disappointment in his cold features, but there was also something there that suggested he had been waiting for her to reject him.

There was nothing she could do about it, but she had to try anyways. She climbed his body until they were eye level again, and placed her mouth against his. Her lips worked slowly, reveling in the feel of his soft lips pressing back. Everything about it was leisured, but also intimate. It was a kiss that held more than simple attraction, but wasn’t quite anything else yet. It was a promise of more to come.

She pulled back and whispered, “I do want you.” He stared at her with a look she could not identify, and then their lips met one more time just for good measure. Afterwards, she slid down his body, lingering in the circle of his arms because she truly didn’t wish to leave. Finally, because staying longer would have been torture for both of them, she gave him a small smile and left.

Tris rolled into her room disappointed about tonight but with a stomach fluttering in suspense awaiting tomorrow’s revelations. _Cleaning will help me relax a bit._ She reached up to tie her generous amount of hair back into a ponytail when she brushed the collar. There was no life to it at all, and then she was struck with the knowledge that Evil-lyn had never relayed the spell that kept her tied to Snake Mountain. _I can leave._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R and R. Reviews make me ecstatic.


	18. Baser Instincts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read and commented. It is very motivating and always nice to hear people like your story.  
> I added some stuff, adjusted the dialogue, and took out a couple of things. Here is a nice long chapter for you guys and I hope you enjoy it. Unexpected fluff and a lot of sexual tension ensues.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Violent death of a nonessential OC

Need. Basic, primal need. No other thoughts, no other priorities. Her body was in a mode of pure action and the brain was not allowing rational thinking to overcome carnal instinct. Tris left her new room a few hours before the dead of night, passing through a myriad of quiet tunnels before finally escaping the confines of Snake Mountain. _I want to see him,_ her only rational thought.

She flowed across the rough terrain between Snake Mountain and her destination at an unbridled gallop, her well-nourished muscles feeling underused but delightfully loose now that their potential was being fulfilled. Tris had gained enough energy from the recent sexual encounters that there was no need to stop the whole way there. It was late and alien moons were shining in the night sky when she finally arrived at the brightly lit and well guarded palace.

The sight of the numerous guards slowed her pace and her brain kicked back on like throwing a switch. _This is unwise,_ she thought at her impulsive and rash decision. Why had she done something so foolish as to sneak out of Snake Mountain? _No, why have I come here?_ Tri-klops was finally hers for the taking, half of this planet’s day and he would be within her grasp. It had been exactly what she wanted, and after all that had happened, why did she even want to see… him?

Worse yet, the scent of alcohol, the quiet hymn of faraway music, and the pulse of hundreds of auras clustered together assaulted her senses. A celebration was the only possible explanation. _I shouldn’t be here_ , but even as she thought it that basic, primal need kept driving her ahead.

Cloaked in shadows, she avoided all the guards pacing the grounds and made her way into the palace’s main corridor. It was different than when she had lived here, elaborately decorated in varying shades of cream and gold. She thought it vaguely reminiscent of the Andreenid throne room.

 _I wonder what they are celebrating_ , she pondered but had her question quickly answered when she came upon a magnificent portrait of Andreenos’ queen in the dining hall. _I definitely shouldn’t be here._ She was confident in her ability to infiltrate the palace undetected with her energy stores at a decent level, but they were slowly depleting and if anyone discovered her… _speaking of._ Tris ducked behind a table quickly as a patrol went by, and then headed further into the palace.

 _If I can’t find him within ten minutes, I’m leaving._ A party would probably be taking place in the huge gathering hall and ascending two flights of stairs brought her to the right door. Tris slipped inside using magic to conceal herself. She scanned the room, her eyes passing over each guest with a quick flick. The palace citizens all looked good in their festive garb but her eyes lingered only on the Andreenids, male and female, until finally she paused on Stingrad, a sentinel ever watchful at the queen’s side. Memories of the heat that radiated from his massive body and the feel of his lips temporarily paralyzed her. Buzz-off’s possessive growling after he had ripped her away from the other Andreenid sounded in her head as if it was happening all over again, and it caused an involuntary clenching in her groin.

It took more effort than it should have and a good shake of her head to clear the vivid thoughts away. Tris looked around again, but it was clear that Buzz-off was absent. _He should be here._ She exited the room trying to identify the most logical location of the Andreenid leader if not at a party celebrating his own people.

Tris thought back to her time at the palace and realized that she had never visited his room. _Damn it, think. He will need access to the skies. I bet his room is in one of the towers._ Buzz-off had always flown over the courtyard and then the garden when returning to the palace. _Right-side._ She was in the east tower in seconds and began scenting each room for occupants before peeking inside just to be certain. All were vacant at the time, some suggesting they were occupied by the possessions sitting on the furniture and others were just plain empty.

Tris was almost to the top when she found the correct room. His distinctive scent was coming from under the door and she could feel his vibrant energy signature even from so far away. She cracked the door to find her one-time lover standing at the far edge facing the open window. As soon as she laid eyes on him, her stomach fluttered with want and something else she didn’t understand.

Tall and lean, his broad shoulders and chest flowed into a narrow waist adorned only with the belt that marked him as ruler. She envied him those long, graceful wings, which covered his back and shone brightly against the moonlight. His sharp claws and tapered spines kept him from delicacy and showed him for the dangerous predator he was. Buzz-off may not have had magic, but he was powerful. _He looks so good_.

Even as she ogled him, Tris finally noticed that solemnity rolled off of him in waves. His body was tense, his wings drooped from the weight of an internal burden, and his aura just felt so… lost. She didn’t know why, but Buzz-off was suffering here, alone, while mere levels below him everyone else rejoiced.

The sight pulled at her heart and she went to him. She suppressed her scent in case he reacted poorly, ever cautious, but she went to him nonetheless and wrapped arms around his torso, warm body pressing up against the back of his. Her forehead pressed into his back, eyes closed; she breathed deep of his scent and her body felt the closest to being complete as it had in a long time. _If I could but find my stones, everything would be perfect._

Buzz-off tensed at the excruciating touch, the feeling of that warm, inviting flesh pressing against his own in a way that was too familiar for someone he barely knew. Only one person stole his overwhelming sorrow so quickly and so effortlessly. Only one person made him feel so alive. “What are you doing here?” he asked quietly not knowing what he felt.

“I wanted to see you. I had to see you.” Her voice cracked on the end and the depth of emotion filling her up in the moment was real. Tris had never even known she could feel such a thing and certainly never expected to.

“You’re with Skeletor now.” The comment was dripping with disdain and she knew that she had to think fast or this conversation was going to be over quickly.

“It’s not what you think.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s hard to explain.”

“You are always holding on to your secrets and it is always hard to explain. That answer isn’t good enough anymore,” he said harshly.

Tris didn’t want to lie to him but it wasn’t that easy. “I lost something and needed to get it back so I left. I had no intention of joining Skeletor, but he was obviously aware I had left the palace because he had his men out looking for me. I wasn’t prepared; I didn’t think I was going to have to evade anyone, so they captured me and forced me to stay in Snake Mountain. I know that Skeletor was the one who actually found me, so I figured maybe I could squeeze some information out of them about what I lost if they knew but nothing… yet.”

“I expected something as such given your willingness to remain as well as the collar… wait. ‘Yet,’ implying that you are going back to them?”

“Yes, but I do not want you to think I am helping them against The Masters. I’m not.” Buzz-off hadn’t pulled out of her grip and Tris was content to keep holding him. She finally allowed herself to relax fully into him, the last bit of tension escaping her. It seemed as though he was going to hear her out and that prompted her to desist suppression of her pheromones.

“No,” he said sharply, “do not try to manipulate me with your scent.”

“I’m not, I swear. I suppressed my pheromones before entering the room and now I’m letting them return to normal.”

“I do not care. I will not be influenced during this conversation.” Buzz-off wanted to know what he was truly feeling toward the girl and not what her overwhelming scent was doing to the more instinctive parts of his brain. He waited silently, his antenna twitching as the scent slowly faded away. “Man-at-Arms considers you our enemy now after what happened in Veridas. He thinks you are extremely dangerous. All the Masters have been warned about your feedings.”

Tris tensed, she couldn’t help it, and he undoubtedly felt it because he tried to pull away from her. She held him tighter, careful of putting pressure on his wings, but refusing to give up the feel of his warm body pressed so close. She whispered into his back, “I’m sorry.”

“When we were together, did you feed off me?”

“Yes, and it was wrong not to tell you but I had to. If I don’t feed, I will die.”

“I had a right to know. Did you sleep with me just to steal my energy?”

“No. I wanted you more than I have ever wanted anyone. The energy was a bonus,” she said trying to lighten the mood a little.

He didn’t respond to her mirth and instead said, “And what about this supposed relationship you have with dragons?” He kept his questions direct because he was not in the mood to play word games right now. He didn’t even know what kind of mood he was in. Her presence was too unexpected; it was throwing him off. He had thought never to see her again and now she was here. Everything he had thought, everything he had felt in the past months was coming to the forefront of his mind.

“What?!”

“Man-at-Arms analyzed your blood and bone structure. He is sure you have some sort of common ancestor with dragons.”

“What do you mean ‘with dragons’? Do dragons still live?” Her voice held an insatiable curiosity.

“Yes.”

“What kinds?”

“There is only one kind at least that I have ever seen. They are two shades of solid red and have yellow eyes with black slits. The hatchlings grow quickly, obtaining massive bodies in only a few weeks.”

“Jz’gl,” she said sounding fascinated before translating for him, “Dragons of the Forest.”

“I guess. They do like to live in the forests but they nest…”

“…in hollowed out caves on cliff faces,” she finished for him. Tris couldn’t believe all this time and she hadn’t figured out that dragons still existed.

“Yes, I assume you know of them.”

“They were a younger species during my time but well liked. Zahhkse hadn’t begun taking them as partners yet but I’m sure it would have happened soon.” _Or maybe not since they are still around but the other dragons are not._

“Zahhkse?” he asked garbling the unfamiliar word somewhat, but silence was the only answer he received. “Tris, I need more from you than this silence. Right now you are considered an enemy and just speaking with you in such a way is inappropriate, if not treason. If I can’t trust you, then this conversation is over.” There was no response from her for a long time and he almost pulled out of her grasp but then she finally gave in.

“There were only four intelligent species around during my time. Although…” she said musing, “Sy-klone makes me believe there were probably isolated peoples we didn’t know about. Anyways, three of the species had power and the fourth was like your humans, prevalent but mostly harmless. You are correct. Zahhkse share an ancestry with dragons. It was believed that the common ancestor was a dragon species that was forced to slowly evolve into a… humanoid, I believe is the word, form. That form had low level magic and the ability to easily hide but lacked the physical power of traditional dragons. They found other traditional dragons to partner with for protection and then started a co-evolution. The humanoid form evolved magically and higher intelligence to add to the dragon’s brute force. Zahhkse were descendants of the first humanoids and each one partnered with one dragon on their forty-fourth birthday.”

“Why forty-fourth?

“Zahhkse age much more slowly than humans. It is when they come of age, both of body and of mind.

“So, you are a Zahhkse?”

“Zahhk, is the singular,” she said correcting him.

“Zahhk. Okay, so you have a dragon? Is she what you are trying to find?”

“Yes. HE,” the girl corrected again, “was locked away with me but in a different stone. I told you before I am a mixed breed but I do have Zahhk in me.”

“What else?”

“Dh and Tazllol. My mother was pure Tazllol so that is the species I identify with the most. We feed off sexual energy to sustain ourselves and power our magical abilities. The Dh were energy vessels and could give it away to others as well as heal with it. I possess the ability to share with others as well. When I have excess energy, it gets stored away or is used to heal any damage that has been sustained by my body. I can heal others in a similar manner by funneling energy into their bodies.”

“Were mixed breeds common in your time?” The question seemed out of place but it was something he wanted to know due to her attraction to him. He felt the need to clarify, “I ask because here it is obviously not but you seem to be attracted to all different types of species, even those that are not humanoid.”

“No. I and one other were alone in our half-breed misery.” The sentence was bitten off at the end. “Tazllolse obviously paired with all the other species for feeding because a feeding between two Tazllolse is pointless. One would be taking the energy of someone who would need to take it right back. Breeding was strictly done in species though. Please do not ask why I am as such, it is personal. More so than anything I have shared but maybe in due time I will tell you.”

“You have been more forthcoming than I expected. I will not press you.” Buzz-off turned and looked at her for the first time that night; she was just as he remembered, perfect in every way. Just seeing her standing there, that beautiful face, those strange eyes slowly drifting from fiery orange to cool grey, he instantly felt renewed sorrow and regret at every decision he had made up until now. “There is one more thing I need to know though.”

“Yes?”

“You and Tri-klops seemed very comfortable touching one another in Veridas. Were you and him…?”

“No. I didn’t have intercourse with anyone while I was in Snake Mountain.” Tris was careful with her phrasing so everything was absolutely true. She couldn’t tell him what had happened between her and Skeletor nor Tri-klops. Not yet, and probably not ever. She met his gaze full on and his look was contemplative as if he wasn’t sure she was telling the truth, but then a small smile graced his lips.

“Thank the Elders.” Buzz-off couldn’t contain himself any longer; he lifted her in his arms in one swift movement and pulled her in for a kiss. She seemed surprised at first, but then melted into the kiss, lips becoming eager against his. His tongue delved into her mouth, tasting her utterly, and the kiss became more forceful when he liked what he found. Thoughts of the last time they were in this same exact position roared through his mind. It caused him to groan into her sweet mouth as his body went painfully erect behind his plating.

Buzz-off took them to the bed, crushing her body into the mattress from the force of his intentions. He broke their kiss to trail his tongue down the expanse of her neck, lightly nipping at the soft flesh. She moaned in appreciation, exposing more of her skin for him and arching up into his body. He relished in the sight and feel of her warm body splayed out beneath him so willing to be taken.

Tris was lost in the feel of his hard, powerful body above her. Oh, how she had wanted this. Everything felt so good; his lips tasting her flesh, his claws roaming her body, her legs bent upwards on either side of him. It wouldn’t take but a slight adjustment in their position and he could slide that long shaft inside of her. She cried out at her own thoughts and the memory of him doing just that not so long ago.

It wasn’t until one of his claws dipped under her corset and drew out her left breast that she remembered their situation and came back to herself. “Buzz-off, wait,” she panted looking down her body to find him just inches away from laying his mouth to her nipple.

“I would have you now,” he growled out, the warm air from his breath teasing along her sensitive flesh.

She closed her eyes and tried to steady herself against the onslaught of arousal that hit her at the noise. “Ngh… if you keep growling like that I’ll never be able to stop.” His vocals were always laced with a buzzing overtone whenever he growled that was uniquely him. It caused her to shiver because it was feral and dominating, and undoubtedly the sexiest thing she had ever heard.

“Why would you want to stop?” he asked in obvious confusion, but thankfully kept his voice growl free.

“I don’t, but we have to,” she said, voice much more calm than before. They stared at each other, him still hovering over her breast, but his eyes were losing their arousal and taking on another emotion that she recognized, pain. He thought he was being rejected and she hurried to let him know how wrong he was. “It would not be good if we got caught.” Tris caressed the side of his face overcome with emotion all of a sudden at finally being able to touch him again. At first she wasn’t sure about divulging so much information to him, but now she knew it had been the right thing to do. “I missed you,” she said pulling him back up for a softer kiss.

The kiss was slow and deep, and just as pleasurable as the hurried, forceful one from before. He finally pulled back and said, “I missed you too.”

“I noticed,” she teased, grinning up at him. Her face sobered quickly, and she said, “I’m not sure what I was expecting, but you are much more accepting than I thought you would be. You were always avoiding me and after everything had happened, you were… cold.”

Her eyes were sad and he felt a wave of shame roll over him. How had he ever let his personal discomfort harm her so much? “Yes, and I apologize for that. Much has changed here since you left and most of it not in your favor. What you did to Mekaneck was distressing to hear.”

“And what I did too you. I’m sorry I fed without telling you. I was worried how everyone would react if they knew I must steal from others to live. It is not easily explained.”

“It is not okay but I understand why you did it.” Buzz-off lifted himself off of her and went to stand by the window again gazing out at the palace grounds. Everything was happening so fast and he desperately needed some time alone to think.

 “Buzz-off, I have to ask. There should have been four other stones with me. Do the Masters have them?” Tris righted her clothing and sat up on the edge of the bed to consider him, but his body language wasn’t giving her any clues to his mood.

He looked over his shoulder at her, his entire demeanor having changed from only moments before. He turned to face her then and leaned against the window sill to continue their conversation, “No. We only came upon the one but if they were there, Skeletor would have them. Why would there be so many?”

“I have other things as well. Skeletor hasn’t said anything.” Tris was not going to explain Lov’dhe and Hmzâdse right now so hopefully he didn’t recognize that she had skated over that question. If so, he didn’t say anything.

“He is very cunning as is Evil-lyn. If they knew you had power in any way they might not reveal to you that they had the stones. They definitely would keep their true intentions from you either way. I do not think it is wise for you to remain in their company.”

Tris had a moment where everything clicked and she couldn’t believe how slow she had been in figuring it out. “The collar,” she said, one hand moving up to finger the black metal, “Evil-lyn said it prevented me from using magic against them and to keep me inside Snake Mountain but otherwise I was free. They were letting me feel welcome so they could understand me and see if I could be of use to them.” _Smart. I didn’t suspect anything._

“What are you going to do?”

“I have to find my stones, then I don’t know. I must get the collar off as well or I fear they will be able to handicap me in some way. I will not be used as a pawn but neither am I welcome here so….” What was left unsaid was despite this newfound knowledge Tris still didn’t think Skeletor and his Evil Warriors were all that bad. Staying at Snake Mountain had turned into everyday life for her.

“So you will return and not know if they will let you leave again. How did you get away?” he inquired coming forward and sliding his claw gently along the binding’s smooth surface.

“They don’t know I’m here. Evil-lyn altered the spell so I could leave Snake Mountain for the trip to Veridas. Afterwards they forgot to lay it again. I can leave now whenever I want as long as they don’t figure it out.” His face had stayed closed down throughout their conversation and she couldn’t tell what he thought about any of this. “Can I see you again?”

“I suppose you mean at night, in secret? You know, the Masters would welcome you back here. You are only our enemy because you remain with Skeletor.”

“Maybe, and I would consider it AFTER I find my stones. Besides, I do not believe they will accept me so easily. For now, will you meet me?”

Buzz-off stared at her while he thought long and hard about this decision. The girl was trouble; that much he was sure of. She was also everything that he wanted and the most basic of his male instincts was driving him to claim this female for his own. The question was: how much was he willing to risk to have her? _I don’t know._ He would agree to this for now because the thought of not seeing her again made him ache, but he would have to think more about this. “Okay, I will meet you.”

“Somewhere in the middle; there is less chance of us being seen. I know the other Masters will not be so forgiving so quickly and I believe neither will your queen. Tomorrow. The dead of night. There is a small town about five miles past Veridas. Do you know of it?”

“Yes.”

“There is only one inn. Room four. I stayed there once after I left Eternos. The innkeeper is very nice and will not speak of anything he sees.”

“He will not speak of the leader of Andreenos entering the room of a very pretty and obviously not Andreenid female? I find this hard to believe.”

“He saved my life and is one of the few who knows how I feed.”

“You volunteered this information to a stranger?” Buzz-off seemed hurt by that as if a stranger deserved an explanation from her more than him.

“Not originally. I had no one to feed off of and started to fade fast. Like I said, he saved me and I figure he deserved to know some stuff afterward.” The memory of that day hit her hard.

XXXXXXX **Flashback** XXXXXXX

Her energy stores were dangerously low and Tris was in the wrong town to do anything about it. This town was large enough that no one gave her too much thought but also small enough that none of the citizens were out late at night. Her legs were starting to feel weak and the appearance morphing spell had long since faded. She staggered across the street towards an alley hoping to find a homeless person at the very least but no such luck.

 _How could you let this happen?_ she scolded herself even as her circulation slowed and her mind became fuzzy. Her body was trying to conserve energy just to stay alive but the survival mechanism was in effect making it harder to find prey. Stumbling, she crashed into a wooden wall with a loud thud and ended up on the ground. Upper body flush with the wall, her cheek pressed against the cool material. _I cannot believe this is how I am going to die after all my survival training, starved to death in a dark alley._

As the thought formed, Tris felt strong arms lift her limp body and carry her into a nearby building. It was all she could do to remain conscious and hope the man would try to rape her. It was a disgusting thought but at this point she couldn’t move herself or even let out extra pheromones to entice him. But the man only laid her down on a bed and started to move away. She let out a moan to get his attention and her eyes flashed open.

“Hey,” the man whispered, “my name is Zeke and I own this inn. I found you outside. I’ve never seen you around before. Are you traveling with anyone? I can try… What do you want?”

“What did you find, Zeke?” came a boisterous voice.

“None of your business, Jax. Now, get out of here.”

“No, this is my inn as much as yours and I have a right to be here. Hmm, very pretty girl. Where did you find her?”

“She was collapsed outside and appears to be sick. I’m trying to find out if she has any family nearby.”

“No need. I think I’m going to have some fun.”

“What is wrong with you? She is sick. You’re not touching her.”

“And who’s going to stop me?” There was a shuffle of feet and then the sound of someone getting thrown into the wall. “Come here, Lovely. We’re going to have a good time.” There was a flurry of hands as someone caressed her body and a lusty aura pushed against her weakened one. She welcomed the presence and absorbed the flicks of energy it provided. It wasn’t substantial but it kept her awake and alive.

When he finally moved to her mouth she was in a state that was beyond hunger. She pulled his energy from him roughly but it had an overall acrid flavor, which was just not appetizing. It was making the feeding less than enjoyable so Tris decided on another course of action. Her teeth ripped into his mouth with a splatter of blood and the man reared back screaming such that he fell off the bed in his panic. Tris rode his body to the ground, worrying at his mouth and splashing blood everywhere.

A part of her enjoyed the screaming so she left his mouth in favor of his neck to hear more of the high-pitched noise. Teeth puncturing the flesh, she bit down hard until there was a snap as his collarbone gave under the impressive bite force. He was a large man though and when his good hand became more successful at dragging her off of him, she let out a pulse to stop further resistance. Of everything Tris could feed on, blood turned her feral and lowered her inhibitions the quickest.

She showered her prey’s body in kisses that were just as much a ravaging of teeth as a brush of lips. The blood flowed and she licked it from his skin in long, slow strokes. Jax moaned and tried to pull her back to his mouth but the girl only hushed him, continuing her adventure with fervor. The skin of his stomach parted like ripened fruit below sharp nails and she sucked on the wounds. Her eyes closed for a moment, savoring the metallic taste. _It’s been too long._ Every flick of her tongue caused him to groan as if those sweet lips touched more intimate places and she smiled wickedly at him.

Figuring time to finish the game, she moved down and bit into his inner thigh. The femoral artery gushed blood into her waiting mouth and she swallowed eagerly. Tris felt the precise moment when his heart struggled to pump blood that was no longer exerting enough pressure to push it throughout the body. In that moment, she didn’t care; she was too far gone to care. Her sucking only ceased when the artery failed to spew more blood forth, and then she released him with a satisfied grunt.

The sound of a stifled grumble caught her attention and she remembered there was another man in the room. Tris turned to him thinking what a sight she must be right now, covered in blood and obviously aroused as she sat upon the dead man. She licked her blood stained lips and surveyed the other male. He wasn’t the most attractive man but he wasn’t ugly either. His body was in good shape for an innkeeper but his clothes were ratty. Most notable was the fact that he was quite young to look so jaded, early twenties maybe.

“You are looking at me like I’m food. You going to kill me too? I’m not afraid to die.”

She smiled at him sadly as her arousal faded and saw him flinch despite his bold statement. “I do not intend to claim your life. You thought sick, but I was close to death and my inhibitions low. Already I regret what I have done to this man.”

“I don’t.” That was not the response she had been expecting. “He was a terrible person and he was trying to rape you anyways. Why would you feel bad?”

“I do not lament his death, only the manner in which I took it. I am surprised that you are not upset.”

“He stole money from me and used this inn as a place to rape many girls. I have tried to get help but no one cares. As far as I am concerned you did the women who pass through here a favor. I’m not going to lie, I might actually get some money for my hard work now and that makes me happy as well.” He paused for a moment just staring at her and then asked, “What are you?”

“Tired. May I pass the night here? I will not take anyone else’s life and I will leave early in the morning hours. I cannot pay you.” He continued to stare at her for awhile, apparently not swayed by her words. “I am complicated and alone; obviously, I do not belong in this time. I am moving through this world that I do not understand and am trying to survive.”

“And the only way for you to do that is to kill others?”

“No. As I said before, I was close to death and when I initially tasted the blood, it aroused me. I normally do not take my victim’s life when I feed.”

“You can stay here for as long as you need. I will clean the room up for you. I’ll probably never be able to use it again since you have made such a mess.”

Once again she was surprised by his statement but his motivations for allowing her to stay were his own and she did not intend to pry. Tris surveyed the room and realized he was right about it being a mess. The feeding had been particularly brutal; there was blood splashed across the sheets, floor, and even the walls. “I apologize for the mess.”

“It’s fine. We don’t get enough customers for me to need this room anyways. I’ll save it for you if you ever find your way back here.”

His reply came with a smile and an insinuation that he didn’t seem to be aware of. Tris was actually surprised she caught it given how new she still was to the language. She let out a laugh in response that was low and throaty equaling his flirting statement. “After what you have just seen, are you hitting on me, Zeke?”

“No! I just…”

“I am joking. Thank you for your hospitality. I will not be a bother. I will also clean the room myself and dispose of his body in such a way that you will not have to worry about being implicated in this. I would appreciate you not telling anyone about me or what you have seen.”

“You have my word that I will not.” Zeke left her and she cleaned the room just as was promised. It was strange that Zeke was taking all of this in stride as if nothing was wrong.

The next two days passed by and her time was spent sitting in the room, contemplating her choices. Right now, the best thing to do was continue searching for the stones. The innkeeper checked on her often and she just smiled at him each time. He had a welcoming personality and somehow got Tris to readily speak about herself. She divulged so much to this man and it was easy enough to figure out why; she was so alone and needed someone to talk too.

It had been a nice distraction from her search but now it was time to leave. She left the room he had so kindly lent her and made her way to Zeke’s private quarters. The door was open but she still knocked and waited for him to invite her in. “I am departing now. I wanted to make you aware.”

“Okay. Remember my offer for you to stay whenever you like.”

“Do not worry, I have not forgotten. I never forget when an attractive man does something nice for me.” The innkeeper blushed at her easy flirting, which she had noticed in her short time here that he was prone to doing. “Zeke, you have been overly generous and I have no right to ask another favor.”

“What do you need?” he replied in earnest.

“I need to feed again. It will be much different from what you witnessed previously. There will be no blood just a kiss. You can say no. I can find another but since you already know about me it will help me conserve energy as I move on.”

“What exactly will happen to me?”

“You will feel extremely weak afterwards and fall to sleep. In the morning you will be hungrier than normal but other than that you will be fine.”

“Okay.”

It was easy to see how hesitant he was but Tris had learned that he possessed a kind heart and a need to help others after being unable to do anything about the many girls his ex-partner had hurt. “Just sit down on the bed.” He complied and Tris went to him straddling his lap. He had been so nice to her that she would ensure the whole experience was as comfortable for him as possible.

Their lips met and he probed her mouth with his tongue almost immediately. She smiled internally at his assertiveness and let him take the lead at least for now. The kiss was definitely enjoyable but made her think of Buzz-off for some reason. The unbearable sadness that came over her was instantaneous. Swiftly, she began consuming his energy just to have the moment over. It was sucked from his body at an accelerated rate, which may have been more uncomfortable for him than she had originally wanted.

Zeke was a good victim though because he never fought her even when his body changed to a frightened state. She continued to kiss him as he fell back against the sheets and then released him with a quiet, “Thank you.”

XXXXXXX **Flashback** XXXXXXX

“Remembering something?” Buzz-off asked with a gentle stroke of his claw against her cheek.

She met his gaze with a sad smile. “Yes, a somewhat unhappy memory that only solidifies my belief that Zeke will not betray my trust. Anyways… I am running low on energy. I will have to feed from someone on my way back or…”

“You can feed off me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want you touching others as little as possible. What do I have to do?”

She smiled happily this time and pushed the robust body in front of her toward the bed. “Nothing.” After he was seated, Tris locked eyes with him and crawled into his lap. She found his lips and kissed them softly. Her body leaned into his and right now it was just about pleasure. The gentle kiss turned more forceful as her arousal climbed. He excited her so quickly just from his scent, but adding the taste of his mouth and aura overwhelmed her. Her mouth became ravenous at his and it was too much; her teeth came down. They sliced his tongue and lower lip causing blood to flow from his mouth into hers.

Buzz-off jerked back and saw how flustered the girl appeared. “I’m sorry. I haven’t lost control like that in a long time. I don’t… I don’t know what happened. Y-you just taste so good and I… I…” she was babbling and he couldn’t help but think it endearing even though this development was a bit disturbing.

“You… like blood?”

“Uh… yes. It’s a turn on for me but I mostly do it for the energy. In addition to lust I can feed off blood and… other things.” Tris tried to adjust the sentence quickly, but the pause was noticeable.

“And what?”

“Nothing,” she replied, discomfort obvious.

“What is it?”

“You will not be pleased to hear this.”

“Just tell me.”

“Semen.”

“Semen? You… ”

“My body absorbs it. It is the most efficient way to feed because it provides the most amount of energy and drains the man the least.”

Buzz-off just stared at her for a while, which was better than most of the alternatives. “After we were together, I wasn’t tired like Mekaneck described was the case after you fed but my… I was totally clean. At the time I wasn’t comfortable asking you but it was strange. Your body… took it all?”

“Yes. You know, you are taking this much better than I would have expected. Don’t be offended but I was thinking you were all prudes here.” Buzz-off was grinning even as a little blood leaked out the corner his mouth. “What are you smiling at?”

“You. We may be a little uptight about sex, but you are so blunt it’s like getting punched in the face by He-man.” Tris was going to come back with a snappy retort but his lips found hers again. His tongue forced its way into her mouth and it was covered in warm blood. She groaned into him and sucked the coppery-tasting fluid away. Her tongue ran along his and probed his mouth trying to get every last drop of the delicious liquid.

Buzz-off pulled back receiving a small protest from her, and if he wasn’t so engrossed it would have amused him. He buried his face into her neck and inhaled deeply, his antenna twitching like mad. “By the Elders you smell good.”

Tris groaned again and yanked his head back up, slamming her lips into his. Everything he said, everything he did, turned her on even more. The blood had been but a small taste that served to spur her hunger. His energy was ripe for the taking and her appetite could no longer be suppressed.

She sucked the energy from him and his unique flavor was overwhelming her senses. It was a mixture of honey and a metallic taste, similar to blood. It rolled throughout her body, lighting up every nerve fiber in sheer ecstasy. She drew his energy away and the power she gained felt unusual but unbelievably good. Tris thought back to her reaction earlier to Stingrad, her instant attraction to Buzz-off, and the sense of completeness that drew her to him. _Maybe something about this species draws me more heavily than others._

Coming back to the present, she let go of him before taking too much. His head fell slightly forward and rested against her chest as his breaths came out in huge racking gasps. “That was… different.”

“I know it is strange at the beginning but you will get used to it.”

“I will, will I?” he teased, voice still a little breathy.

“Mmm. Absolutely,” came her reply, voice low with arousal. When his breathing had finally returned to normal, his gaze shifted back to her face. He stopped stone cold, the lines of his face smoothing out to leave a blank expression. Tris turned to the large mirror against the near wall and examined her own face. The eyes were impressive to say the least. They were a solid, blood red but even more uniquely, flickering flames and sparking electricity entwined together in a delicate dance that made the eyes seem to have a life of their own.

The reflection showed Buzz-off shaking off the effects of her gaze. “What was that?”

“Something I should be able to control better than this.” _I have a sneaking suspicion the memory of so much blood earlier has had some influence on me._ Facing him again with her eyes returning to their normal state, she explained, “It is the second level of manipulation my people can use to capture our prey. You can imagine that most people don’t enjoy the idea of being fed off of. My people use our eyes to lull others into a state of complacency if the first level, our pheromones, doesn’t work.”

“There are more levels?”

“The last level. It’s a combination of pheromones and magic that is felt as a pulse by the victim. It is a way to momentarily control them.”

“Man-at-Arms was right; you are dangerous. That sounds suspiciously like rape.” The words were true but they hurt her anyways. “Can you kill people by stealing all their energy?”

“Yes, and before you ask, yes I have done it. Something happened in my time that allowed my people more control over their powers. Before, we used to slaughter all of our victims in a frenzy that consumed us when we fed. Rape was also common although there were never any victims left alive.” Her voice contained a sadness that pulled at his heart.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I have gotten over most of it. I am much happier now than I used to be.”

“From what you have told me, I am assuming that you were not well liked in your society.” Buzz-off remembered the comment she had made to him in private weeks ago, ‘In my society, I was not considered beautiful’. It was cryptic then but as he learned more of her mixed heritage the statement suggested she was an outcast.

“No. I was a mixed breed, which was unheard-of, and I was also considered unattractive in a society that prided itself on beauty.” Tris was done sharing. “It is getting late and I need to get back before they notice I’m gone.”

“You did not take that much. I am not as tired as Mekaneck said he was.”

“You are stronger than Mekaneck. Also, that day I needed to heal my arm when Stingrad injured me and I have taken enough to get home.” _I just called Snake Mountain home._

Buzz-off had definitely noticed, his face closing down in anger. “Where you will no doubt need to refuel and will feed off one of them.”

“Don’t. It is what I must do to survive, this is what I am and you can either handle that or you cannot. I will also not take all your energy tonight when you may need it. I’m sure when the festivities wrap up there will be something you have to do.” Her words sounded angry but it was actually just exhaustion catching up with her. “Besides, I can feed from far away if needed. I don’t have to touch anyone, they just have to be lusting after someone.”

She was definitely right about him having duties to perform later but he was not thrilled with the prospect. _I must decide how I feel about this whole thing especially since I would be going against my queen’s orders in being with her._ “Fine. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Yes.” Tris kissed him one last time intending it to be chaste. That was not the case as she instantly felt fulfilled and allowed herself to linger. Reluctantly drawing away from him a while later, she said, “Tomorrow,” and with that she was gone.

The journey out of the palace and back to Snake Mountain flew by. Her thoughts were centered elsewhere. _Why are Andreenids extra delicious to me? Why this strange feeling about Buzz-off? How do I approach Skeletor about my stones?_ It had been a long day and she was happy to finally arrive back at the compound. The sun was already up when one last thought wormed its way into her brain and began to fester.

_Shit. What am I going to do about Tri-klops?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tazllol Language  
> -se is added to the end of words to show plurality just as –s is in English. 
> 
> Listed in Order of Appearance:  
> Zahhkse-Dragon. It refers to the mythical beast and to the people. The meaning is contextual.  
> Dh-Giver. A species present during Tris’ time.  
> Tazllol-Tris’ species  
> Lov’dhe-Harlequin. It is the name of a creature.  
> Hmzâdse-Twins. Also the name of a creature.


	19. 2x Tried, 2x Denied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a bunch to all my readers. Always a pleasure to see your comments and suggestions.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-m/f sexual encounter, major feels

It was late morning when Tris arrived back at Snake Mountain and luckily all of the residents were still asleep. _Not for long though._ Already, Tris could hear the sound of warm bodies stirring from their slumber as she passed through the corridor of sleeping chambers. She wanted nothing more than to fall into her own bed after the physically and emotionally taxing night she had just had and sleep for an eternity.

Instead, she trudged toward the kitchen and halfheartedly prepared eggs with fried potatoes for six people. It was the only breakfast meal she knew how to make and there was no time for experimenting this particular morning. She added some fresh red berries to the tables and poured a cup of juice for each setting. It was the best they were going to get from her today.

Tris left a note stating she was not feeling well and was going to rest most of the morning and maybe into the evening. That was the only explanation she figured probably wouldn’t be questioned and she desperately needed to sleep. Running consistently low on energy meant she couldn’t afford to be physically tired or hungry because it would just cause her to drain her limited stores faster.

Upon entering her room however, she quickly remembered that it was still unfurnished. “Fuck. What am I supposed to do now?” she groaned in misery. Exhaustion was too lax a description for her state of being right then. There was no will left to push her into seeking better accommodations so she collapsed slowly against the wall. The blissful silence was motivation enough to overcome the uncomfortable sitting position and she drifted off to sleep.

Well almost.

 _Footsteps. No!_ That delicious and identifying smell accosted her senses only moments later. _Of all the people, why him?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tri-klops surveyed the girl with interest, curious and confused by her prostrated form. She was slumped against the wall, head down and arms lifeless against her sides. While no injuries were apparent, he couldn’t be sure if she was just sleeping or truly wounded. The girl left him yesterday to clean before turning in for the night so why was she in such a state? _Something is off._ The note stated that she was sick but it appeared more like the aftereffects of a long, tiring night.

When he was close enough to touch, “Go away,” was whined at him brusquely.

“You’re such a pain. What’s wrong with you now?”

“Tri-klops, I don’t feel right. I just want to sleep. Please go.” _He is too stubborn to listen_. The thought had barely formed when she felt herself being lifted by strong arms and cradled in against hot flesh. She couldn’t help but snuggle in against the comforting heat even as the words, “I said go away,” left her mouth.

“Oh, be quiet for once. You cannot sleep here. You will sleep in my room for now and I will see about getting you a proper bed.”

“I have a bed. I just can’t find it.” The words were mumbled out groggily and for the life of him he didn’t know what that meant. Reaching his room, Tri-klops lay the girl on the bed and covered her up with a sheet. A smile briefly flickered across those full, blood-red lips as she breathed in deeply. Tri-klops rather liked the girl basking in his scent especially when it seemed to make her happy. _Tonight,_ was his only thought as he left the room.

He may have been over-zealous in the assumption that the girl would be his tonight given her condition. There was also the matter of Skeletor’s state of mind. Although, given the fact that neither he nor Evil-lyn had shown up for breakfast, there was a good chance that the girl’s plan was a success.

The short walk to his lab did nothing to stir his interests in work at the moment, and he felt the need to burn off some excess energy so Tri-klops made his way back toward the dining hall. “Trap-jaw, feel up for working out and then some sparing?” he asked the other man, who played the part of his training partner on the rare occasions when he didn’t want to be left alone.

“I thought you got laid last night man?”

“What?” he asked in confusion.

“Sparing? That means you want to vent some frustration. I’m taking it that last night did not go as planned?”

“I work out all the time; your assumption is incorrect.”

“I know you work out quite often but you never want to spar unless you want to beat the shit out of someone. AKA, no fucking last night.”

“My intention is nothing more than to keep my skills sharp. Interested or not?” His tone was becoming more closed-down the longer the conversation continued.

“Alright, alright. Sparing actually sounds quite good right now.” He stood up from his empty plate and stretched out before continuing, “Hey. The new girl took our old sparing hall as her bedroom. Where you wanna go now?”

“I think outside will be sufficient for our purposes. More room for you to be thrown about as I kick your ass,” he replied with a rare smirk.

Trap-jaw was dumfounded at the use of the curse word and his obviously upbeat mood. Recovering, he shouted, “Ha! You can try.” The other man was in a good mood for once so Trap-jaw couldn’t help but tease him. “You’re not in a bad mood then, so… did you and Tris hump like bunnies all night?” Tri-klops gave him a death glare, and then started walking away. “Hey, wait up! Can I at least get some details?”

* * *

“The party went over well, Father. Andreenos’ queen was in an exceptional mood when everyone left,” said Teela after greeting her father in his workshop that morning.

“I agree. King Randor made the right decision and now our ties with Andreenos are stronger than ever.” It was definitely a small victory but the inventor had already moved on from the moment to worry about other things. Particularly, Buzz-off’s absence during the party. Andreenos’ leader had been closer to his normal self as of late and Man-at-Arms had hoped this party would be the last event needed to set everything straight. That had not been the case as the Andreenid quickly disappeared for most of the party and had only reappeared when everyone was gone. Not to mention he seemed completely distracted the entire time they were all cleaning up.

“You are worried about Buzz-off, aren’t you?” Teela asked.

“Am I that transparent?”

His daughter laughed quietly. “Only to me, Father.” Her face sobered up as she continued, “I am too though. I figured this would be an opportunity for him to feel welcomed again but I guess we really don’t know what is going on when they are in Andreenos. The queen seemed happy though so maybe that will change now.”

“Maybe, but hers is not the only attitude that has influenced him all these weeks. There are others here that have been just as unkind. Besides, that is not my only concern.”

“You are referring to his diverted attention while cleaning? He was obviously thinking something over quite thoroughly.”

“Yes. He seemed excited yet unhappy all at the same time. At first I thought maybe it was because his queen was happy but he wasn’t able to partake in the festivities. I just don’t think that was it though. I’ve seen that look on his face before. It was almost like…”

“…he was thinking about her,” Teela finished for him not needing to state who ‘her’ was. She had recognized that look as well and was honestly surprised to see it on the andreenid’s face again after so long. She had figured that him seeming more normal lately meant that he was finally starting to move on and forget about Tris.

Man-at-Arms looked over at his daughter. “Once again you are correct and that is not a good thing, for him I mean. Let me ask you something, Teela; do you believe I was overstepping in telling Tris she could not be with any of the Masters in such a way?”

The young warrior took her time before answering, ecstatic that her father would ask her thoughts on such a matter. “To be honest, I am not sure, Father. On the one hand, I do not think anyone’s partners should be dictated for them. However, we are at war and actions have consequences. Said consequences were easily predictable to everyone here, but, can you really tell someone who doesn’t understand our ways to think about the possible outcomes of her actions?”

“My thoughts exactly. I did not make such a decision lightly. I thought it best for everyone involved, but I’m not sure it was the right decision in the end.”

“Father, I am happy that you asked my opinion, but it isn’t like you to doubt yourself,” she said laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Yes, but like you said, ‘actions have consequences,” and I am wondering if I pushed away a potentially powerful ally and simultaneously created an enemy.”

“The entire time Tris was with us I felt like she was hiding something from us, but I never felt like she meant us harm. I do not believe you have made us a new enemy.”

Man-at-Arms gave his daughter a small smile and then sighed. “I guess for now we must wait and see what happens. My hope is that soon there will be some sort of resolution for both Buzz-off and Tris that involves her leaving Skeletor. Speaking of which, I am surprised Skeletor has yet to make a move since acquiring the girl.”

“I find it odd that she left us in the first place, and then eventually turned up on the other side. I feel like there is something going on that we do not know about and I fear that may be the reason Skeletor is biding his time recently.”

“I concur. However, we must remain vigilant, he never stays idle for long.”

* * *

“Argh!” Trap-jaw fired again but missed completely. He lost track of where the swordsmen had gone during this latest attack. _He is so fucking fast._ Frustrated and tired of being unable to hit his opponent, he decided to change his strategy to defensive instead of offensive. He slowly retreated intending to get his back to a wall while he continually scanned the area for any sign of movement. A moment later and the tell-tale gust of wind swept by him as Tri-klops slashed his back. Trap-jaw spun his huge arm around but his attacker was already gone.

This was going just about as good as it usually did. Whenever the inventor wanted to spar, there was a reason behind it that usually left Trap-jaw tending to some pretty nasty wounds afterward. He was not afraid to admit the other warrior was smarter, faster, and more highly motivated than he himself was during these sessions. The fights usually lasted about two hours with Tri-klops untouched in the end and Trap-jaw’s body crisscrossed with blade marks. A lot of that time was just trash talk flying back and forth between them.

Trap-jaw saw the next attack coming but that did nothing to affect the outcome. The swordsmen came at him from about twenty feet away, dodging every one of his blasts until he was within slashing range. He tried to swing at Tri-klops but the other man’s sword caught the brunt of the blow. The sword, still holding his metal arm, pushed upwards and back forcing Trap-jaw to stumble backwards to maintain balance.

 _Too easy._ The swordsmen had the other man and they both knew it. Tri-klops slashed diagonally across his foe’s upper body from hip to opposite shoulder, releasing his sword at the end of the strike. Two punches were delivered in quick succession to Trap-jaw’s torso followed by a vicious kick to the sternum. The larger man flew backward into a rock face and fell to a sitting position gasping for breath. Tri-klops flashed his arm outward to catch his sword’s handle as it fell back to earth.

“See, throwing you around,” he said with a slightly breathy voice.

On the other hand, Trap-jaw paused between each word to take deep breaths as he replied, “I… never… doubted…. you, man.”

Tri-klops laughed and felt good even as his muscles burned from exertion and rivulets of sweat ran down his face and dripped onto the ground below. “You’re slipping. I didn’t even have to fire a single gamma blast this time.”

“I was going easy on you today since you had a bad night.”

“Ouch. Going straight for my ego.” For once he didn’t mind the insinuation.

“Seriously man, what’s going on with you two? I can tell that Tris likes you and you’re actually showing emotion for once, which is almost like a declaration of undying love from you.”

“I’m sure you know that Skeletor had made up his mind to have the girl for himself. I’m not stupid enough to get in his way. That may have changed though as he now seems to be sleeping with Evil-lyn again.”

“So, you do like her. You are just waiting to make sure Skeletor is out of the picture first.” It wasn’t really a question and there was no response anyways. “Ha, I knew even **you** couldn’t resist her. That chick is so fucking hot.”

“Do you have to use such foul language around me?” Tri-klops snapped instinctually. However, his face reverted back to its previous smirk quickly. “She is quite sexy though, isn’t she?”

“There you go,” and Trap-jaw just chuckled. “Man, I really need a bath. I smell like sweat and… ash.”

“I hear you.” Together they returned to the compound and Tri-klops couldn’t help but let his mind come up with all sorts of ideas about the night ahead. Inside they parted and he snagged a wet towel from the kitchen to wipe himself down before heading for his quarters.

Passing by the throne room, he snuck a look inside and found it completely empty. Apparently, Skeletor and Evil-lyn were having a very good time indeed. Besides the girl’s new availability, there were other benefits for his superiors getting back together. Skeletor was considerably less insane and likely to do anything rash when Evil-lyn was keeping him in check. Not to mention the sorcerer was more frequently in a good mood when he was getting laid on a consistent basis. _Who wouldn’t be?_

After a quick check on the girl’s condition, his first stop would be the bathing pool. Then he would see about returning to his work on the new Doomseeker. Entering the room, Tri-klops walked toward the bed as she was just sitting up when she suddenly froze. From a few feet away he could hear her audibly sniffing the air and then she turned toward him slowly. Pupils fully dilated and eye color bleeding to red, the expression she now wore was predatory. In that moment, Tri-klops wasn’t exactly sure why but he actually felt threatened.

The girl uncurled herself from the sheets and crawled across the bed, eyes never leaving his. _Not crawling, stalking._ The movement was, he wanted to say feline, but that wasn’t quite right to describe how her body moved so gracefully toward him. He was transfixed by her deadly beauty and couldn’t move even though his mind screamed, _run!_ The figure on the bed turned into a blur as she pounced on him, body slamming into his hard enough to stagger.

“What is your…” but the remaining words were eaten right out of his mouth. A kiss so forceful it was almost bruising was not the outcome he had been expecting. After a moment, Tri-klops began to return the brush of lips with just as much enthusiasm. Lips moving and tongues probing, the kiss was nothing short of mind-blowing. The girl’s hands, previously digging into his shoulders, entwined around his neck and her legs pulled tighter around his waist as she ground herself against his abs.

Tri-klops moved them backwards toward the bed until his knees reached it and they toppled over. His body crushed hers into the sheets and for a second he worried his weight might be too much but she never even stopped kissing him. For the first time since the girl had arrived, he did not feel at all guilty for indulging in her body. The body in question was hot to the touch and felt so good pressing up against him. His hands explored the toned flesh below causing the girl to writhe in obvious appreciation.

Her hands were not immobile though, all the while sliding against his upper body delicately and then they moved lower toward his belt. The vixen didn’t want to stop kissing him to the point that he had to gently pry her away from his lips. She gave a desperate whine at that but Tri-klops wanted to explore that perfect body. He licked and nipped along her neck, hands smoothing along her thighs and then pushing the tiny thing she called a skirt up. “Ngnh… please!” The begging made him growl into her collarbone and tear the panties right off her body.

The girl’s hands were fumbling at his belt but Tri-klops wanted to slow everything down. Their last encounter had ended so quickly he didn’t want to make the same mistake twice. There was no easy way to remove the corset so he grabbed both joining edges and ripped the damn thing apart. The fabric fell away to either side and revealed her perfectly round breasts to him. She tried to arch up into him but he pushed her back into the bed, mouth and hand each closing around a breast. “Uhh… Yes. Yes.” He sucked harshly enjoying each and every moan that escaped his partner.

Each flick of the tongue, every pull of his lips caused the girl to squirm until she let out a loud cry and tried once again to pull him back to her mouth. Tri-klops couldn’t help but grin at how eager she was. Momentarily he cursed himself for adorning armor that was so time consuming to remove because he wanted to press all of her nakedness against his. _Another day_ , he thought returning to that luscious mouth and collapsed his lower body to hers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Tri-klops first entered the room his scent had overwhelmed her. Not only was his normally delicious aroma on the air but he had been outside near the volcanoes. Flames, ash, and… Tri-klops were the most arousing mix of things she had ever smelt. Every touch, every caress only made her sure this was going to be an incredible experience. Lips connecting again, his lower body pressed downward and she felt him against her lower thigh. _Oh yes._ Tris groaned into his mouth opening her legs even wider in invitation.

They would have to stop kissing before he could enter her because the height difference was considerable. _Everyone here is so much larger than I am, I love it._ The thought brought on a memory of her last sexual partner and a heart wrenching wave of guilt and sadness. Buzz-off was supposed to meet her tonight and she would be fresh from a lovemaking session with another man when she arrived. _Oh no, what am I doing?_

This couldn’t happen. She needed a way to end this immediately. _But Tri-klops…_ Tris really did want him but her feelings for Buzz-off were stronger and in this time period she had to make a choice. She cursed this time period and the humans and their monogamous lifestyle. She cursed it all at the realization of what specifically needed to be done so that this would be over forever. _Tri-klops will never forgive me for this._

He started to pull away probably deciding it was time when she kissed him more fiercely. It lasted but a moment before she started to laugh. She laughed into his mouth, she laughed at him, and it was neither joyful nor carefree, but condescending and derisive. Tri-klops pulled back to look at her and she gave him a self-satisfied smirk. “Well, that was fun,” she said licking her lips and pushing him up off of her. Her face was the perfect mask of arrogance, but her heart was breaking on the inside with each passing word.

Tris slid out from under his kneeling form and stood next to the bed. “To think someone like me would actually be with someone like you. It truly is laughable.” And that was all she needed to say, a simple implication and his mind would do the rest of the work for her.

She turned away from him, turned toward the door as if this whole thing meant nothing to her when in fact it was exactly the opposite. Tris just wanted to leave, she just wanted to never see him again… when a hand closed around her wrist. She cringed, her eyes closing against the pain. _Why? Why is life so unfair?_ Hardening her resolve, Tris let her eyes swirl to red, her teeth to elongate, and paused for just one more second. Then she spun to face him with a spitting hiss.

Everything stopped. She didn’t move, she didn’t even breathe; her eyes were too busy taking in Tri-klops’ face. He didn’t startle or pull back in apprehension, he didn’t do anything but gently let her go. Tris left his room feigning an unhurried, confident pace while the tears streamed down her hidden face.

Pain. Hate. Self-loathing. Hurt. Rejection. Solemnity. So many emotions in one look, so many feelings that she could never forget. The sight of Tri-klops’ face in that moment was burned into her mind, and there it would forever remain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I… that scene got a thousand times more angsty and feelsy and sad in the rewrite. I feel so bad for Tri-klops.


	20. Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! I still love this story and do not intend to abandon it, it’s just taking me a bit longer than I would like to update. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and much Love to everybody who still waits for my updates.

The heady aroma of sex and sweat was thick in the air. Skeletor allowed his eyes to roam the languorous body stretched out next to his. It had been a long, pleasurable night for them both but he was still not ready to return to work yet. When the woman awoke he would take her again and probably a few more times before the day was over. The lack of stimulation for so long had left him with a voracious appetite, one that he intended to sate before anything else.

The first two times had been wild and frenzied, they had both been unfulfilled for so long that there were no logical thoughts getting in the way of their animalistic urges. Afterwards though, each time had been slower and more sensual as Skeletor allowed himself to remember the extent of his feelings for Evil-lyn. It wasn’t love; that was an emotion the mage was sure he was actually incapable of feeling, but there was a dependence that existed between them.

There was no reason why and how it had been done was a mystery to him but the girl had orchestrated this entire thing. Skeletor would never lower himself enough to thank her but he approved of her actions whatever the motive.

That still left the question of what to do with the little magician. This slow manipulation was definitely lowering her guard but no useful information had been gained yet. More and more, he believed the correct course of action was to tell her that they had the stones. The collar made sure that the she couldn’t retaliate against any of them. _Her powers seem basic anyways._ The sorcerer was guessing she was nothing more than the keeper of whatever great power was held within the stones rather than the owner herself.

But if she didn’t want to tell them their secrets so far they had no way to make her as torture obviously wouldn’t work. _Maybe the girl will find some happiness with our Tri-klops and be more cooperative._ The thought was spontaneous but irrefutable. A few days at the most would surely have them sleeping together now that Skeletor was not intervening. He would allow their relationship to proceed and then reveal their possession of the stones if the girl’s behavior stayed favorable.

Content with the solution he had devised, the sorcerer returned his attention to the situation at hand. Gently, he pulled Evil-lyn on top of his body and caused her to stir in the process. His hands were already gliding down to caress her generous backside. She lifted up onto her forearms and looked down at him with a smug look. “Never satisfied are you?”

“No,” and he ground her body against his. Continuing his ministrations, Skeletor admitted sinfully that he did intend to satisfy himself many times in the next few hours. Naughty ideas spinning around in his brain, a sharp intake of breath and then needy moans filled the room.

* * *

After the disaster in Tri-klops’ private quarters, Tris was left alone to her own devices. Their master and Evil-lyn didn’t emerge from his room for the remainder of the day and the other Evil Warriors must have found something to occupy them as well because Tris never saw them either. Tri-klops did not come searching for her and she knew whatever they had had was now over. _Better that way._

She had returned to her room and without a bathing pool had done her best to scrub herself of all the evidence that anything had happened. She didn’t need the reminder as it would only make her feel worse; instead she focused on preparing herself for the night ahead. _I really need to get my stuff. I would like some other clothes and a mirror for fuck’s sake._ Maybe she would get some stuff in the meantime while her stones were still lost. For now, she had to make do with what was available.

Creating new clothes was taxing but altering the ones she had would require much less energy. A small trickle was pulled from her reserves and enveloped her clothes. The entire corset, all the silver buckles on the gloves and boots, and the blue portions of her skirt were changed to a shiny, luxurious gold. It slightly clashed with her white skin but it looked great combined with the black and she was sure Buzz-off would find it appealing.

She remembered then about the collar and changed its color scheme to match. Pulling her hair into a high ponytail left the higher portion of her neck invitingly bare and a few long strands were left out to frame her face. Lastly, Tris created a thin wreath that was similar to a crown and looped her hair around it to hold it in place. Once again she cursed her lack of a mirror but was sure everything looked great as it was similar to outfits she had worn long ago. Still a little too early to leave, the girl sat down against the wall to think about, well, everything.

The first thing that came to mind was how different her own personality was becoming, not to mention her now distorted view of how society should work. _I have been around these humans for too long,_ thought Tris remembering her own world. She missed how open and honest everything was, but she also just felt like her society was superior.

In her time, no one was monogamous until marriage, which meant that jealousy was uncommon. Males often competed for a female’s attention in the moment, but it never lasted long because chances were the losing male would have another opportunity. Even after marriage, it was common to pick a few specific individuals that your partner could still be with because that made feeding much easier. Adultery was not taken lightly though; you absolutely never touched someone else unless you had your partner’s complete blessing.

It had been a much easier system to understand than the current one.

_Now look where you are. Hiding from everyone and lying about everything. Feeding off scraps in secrete, sneaking out to be with someone, and tearing up at the thought of making someone unhappy. No dragon, no hounds, and no power._

Tris sighed audibly doing her best to push those thoughts away although they never went very far.

Nothing left to do, the girl set out three hours before midnight. It wouldn’t take anywhere near that long to reach the inn normally but she wanted to make sure no one would follow her. She ran south for thirty minutes veering around as if just going for a run. Ducking behind a tree, she stilled for a while until she was certain no one was near. Altering her appearance completely, she started toward the town again arriving about an hour later. Tris waited a little while longer just in case someone was following, and then nervously, she made her way across the street.

Tris entered the inn and strode right up to the front desk where Zeke stood staring at a monitor. When he noticed her, he smiled as he probably would have any other customer and said, “Hello. How are you this evening?”

“I am doing well and yourself?”

“Same. I have to say I’m surprised you’re out so late. Just a single?” he asked with a slight inflection. If she didn’t know better, she would say Zeke was worried about her being alone. Actually, that was probably exactly what he was worried about given the circumstances she had met him under.

“Yes, but a larger bed if you have one. I’m expecting someone else.”

Zeke gave a little nod as he went about looking for a key. “I can do that. Just give me one moment.” While he was rummaging through the key drawer, he turned back to her with a contemplative look. “Have we met before? You seem really familiar.”

The girl couldn’t help but give a full, throaty laugh at that point. “Why Zeke, I’m surprised by you. Not many know me well enough to see through my disguise.” That being said, she dropped her spell to a very surprised look on the innkeeper’s face.

“Tris.” His face lit up and he hurried around the counter to give her a hug. He actually lifted her off the floor and crushed her to his chest with a single strong arm. She was taken aback for a moment and then relaxed into this open show of emotion. _I just complained about these humans with their secretive emotions and now look._

Unfortunately, that was also the moment Buzz-off chose to walk into the establishment. “Am I interrupting?”

“Sorry, sir.” Zeke let her go quickly and returned to the counter to wait on what he thought was another customer. “What can I do for you?” Buzz-off didn’t respond to the question, his eyes all for her. “Sir?” Zeke prompted again.

“It’s okay. Zeke, this is Buzz-off. Buzz-off, this is my friend Zeke.”

“Buzz-off, as in Lord Buzz-off, the Leader of Andreenos?”

“One in the same.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, sir. I’ve heard of you but I’ve never actually met an Andreenid before. We don’t get a lot of your kind around here.”

Buzz-off still hadn’t said anything up until that point but seemed to come out of his reverie. “You look… perfect. I like your new outfit.”

Tris smiled shyly at the attention whilst still loving every second of it. “I’m glad. I designed it just for you. Um… Buzz-off?”

“Yes?”

“My friend Zeke? He has been talking to you for the past minute or so?”

“Yes, your friend,” he replied turning to the other man with eyes slightly narrowed.

Zeke chuckled at him with hands up. “Don’t worry, I haven’t got a chance with her and I know it. She helped me out with something and I’m very grateful for that. We’re just friends and what you walked in on was me being really surprised to see her after a long time. Sorry about that.”

Buzz-off seemed to be evaluating the other man for the validity of his statement. “It’s fine.”

Deciding to end it before anybody did anything unfortunate, Tris stepped forward. “Zeke, Buzz-off and I are going to be staying the night. I would appreciate your discretion. I’m not here and he has never been here. Ever.”

“Absolutely.” Zeke turned back to the drawer and pulled out a key from the very back. “Here’s the key. If I don’t see you in the morning, just leave it in the room.” Buzz-off visibly relaxed as if in acceptance that the other man was not going to gossip about what he had seen.

“Thank you, Zeke. Have a good night.” She took the key from him with a smile and led Buzz-off down the hall to room four.

Inside, she immediately headed for the bed happy to sit down and stare out the window. The andreenid didn’t say anything for a while, just staring at her in turn. Tris was happy that he liked the outfit, but she still felt awkward and somewhat… guilty.

“Did you tell him about us before?” he asked softly, moving toward her.

“No,” she replied turning to face him. “Why do you ask?”

“He immediately guessed that we were together and didn’t seem disturbed by it at all.”

“Well your reaction to me was quite… telling. Zeke is strangely calm about everything though and surprisingly non-judgmental.”

Buzz-off prompted her to stand with a gentle claw on her upper arm and then, deciding her couldn’t resist anymore, he slowly drew her in for a kiss. It was slow and languid, full of emotion and warmth like all good kisses should be, but Tris was faking it. She just wasn’t into it at the moment and unfortunately for her, Buzz-off could feel it. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired,” she replied warily, trying not to let what was really bothering her show on her face. She sank back down on the bed unhappily. She might be successful at hiding her feelings from him, but she couldn’t from herself.

“Do you need to feed?”

“No, I’m not hungry.”

“Already full from someone else, huh?”

The words stung; after all she had been through to be with him and still there was the jealousy. “You know what, I’m just going to go. I’m not in the mood for your overbearing jealousy today.” Tris left the bed in a huff and walked toward the door, but Buzz-off moved in front to stop her.

“I come all the way out here and find you in the arms of another man. Then I try to kiss you and you are obviously not into it. You have already fed off someone else tonight even though you knew you would be able to feed off me. What do you expect from me?”

“Nothing. Please move.”

“Why are you pulling away from me already?”

The question was sad and Tris finally looked at his face. The emotion there was so raw it pained her to see it and her anger went out like a light. After all, she wasn’t really angry at him, she was angry at herself. “Buzz-off… I’m sorry.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Tri-klops and I…” but she just couldn’t finish the sentence; she couldn’t be near him right now. Tris left him and returned to the bed, head hung in defeat because she knew what would happen when she told him the truth. Tris wasn’t sure she could handle the look of betrayal and rejection that would mar his features. “We didn’t do what you think, but… I wanted to.”

Buzz-off had gone silent and still. It was a long time before he spoke again, “You want him… instead of me?”

“No! I want you more but I can’t deny that I want him too. The thought of you is what actually stopped me. I just feel so messed up inside. I don’t understand this monogamous attitude and all the envy you humans—Andreenid, sorry—are so fond of.”

Buzz-off came to sit beside her and she curled up on the bed, head in his lap. Andreenos’ leader stroked her cheek in one smooth motion and Tris felt something inside of her break. The words, the flood of damaging information she knew he didn’t want to hear just poured out of her uncontrollably, the entire story beginning to end of her capture up until this point.

She told him of Skeletor’s torture and Tri-klops’ care. The new spell they laid on her collar and about spending time with Trap-jaw. She hurried along through how she had had to feed off Skeletor and her first encounter with Tri-klops in the bathing area. She explained her manipulating the sorcerer into letting her go to Veridas and her pain afterward that drove her and Tri-klops together. How she had removed his visor, discovering his injuries and how they had led to his rejection by women.

She paused before continuing about their night together and respecting his wishes. Skeletor’s rage at finding them and his interrupted attempt to have sex with her. Learning of Evil-lyn and the sorcerer’s relationship and how she had helped them restore it. Lastly she described how Tri-klops and she were to be together when the girl had realized her newfound freedom and came to see Buzz-off that very same night. Returning to Snake Mountain so exhausted that she hadn’t had time to formulate a plan to break everything off with Tri-klops.

“When I came to he had obviously been working out near the volcanoes. The smell was so enticing I couldn’t help myself. Everything felt so good and so right until a thought of you popped into my head. I didn’t know what to do after that. He was about to enter me and I just… I laughed at him. I laughed at him, told him someone like me would never be with someone like him. I played it as though it was all a game. It worked like a charm and I know he will never forgive me for that. I know you don’t care and that you are enemies but you don’t understand what I just did to him. And I liked him, I wish… I wish…”

“Shh.” Buzz-off’s bid for her to be quiet was expected. Tris had left no details untold; she had even told him all of her private thoughts and feelings during her time there. _I care about his enemies._ He knew everything and would surely hate her now as well.

She dreaded the feeling of a clawed hand touching her chin. It exerted a little pressure in a bid to rise and she did so reluctantly, not wishing to meet his gaze. Not sure what to expect, Tris tried to peek at him but he grabbed the back of her neck as he forced his gaze upon her. Ready for anger, the girl closed her eyes reflexively and flinched before recognizing that his lips had touched hers ever so softly.

_Why,_ but she couldn’t formulate any other thoughts as his lips gently worked against hers. It was slow and loving and perfect; it was everything she needed in that moment.

Buzz-off pulled the fragile female into his lap, careful not to break their kiss. Time passed and neither participant was willing to end it until eventually he pulled back needing to breath. There were no words spoken, each of them content to just gaze into the other’s eyes.

After what seemed like an eternity, Buzz-off took all of her weight and resituated them on the bed. She faced the opposite wall and he pressed the entire length of his body up against her. Eyes closing, his arm wrapped around her frame protectively and they both drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, let me know what you thought. I do appreciate reader opinions and if you see any mistakes, definitely point them out.


	21. Enlighten Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally, I drop hints to the episode of the series a certain chapter falls in if it does. I don’t feel the need to share this at the beginning because I follow the episode content pretty strictly, but in this encounter I have altered it a bit so it may be confusing. This occurs during the episode, ‘Buzz-off’s Pride,’ and I know he doesn’t appear to sustain any damage, however, getting the crap beat of you by giants and getting hit by a giant with a hammer through a forest and finally ending up under a pile of trees tends to be painful. The damage I have mentioned in this chapter is a result of that encounter in my eyes.
> 
> Chapter WARNING-Some sexual content.

Comfort… Confusion—Panic! Struggle. Heat… Waning Panic… Darkness. Realization. Acceptance… Tranquility.

Beautiful, discerning eyes penetrate her very soul. A tender caress upon a cheek and an oh so soft brush of lips. Smiles exchanged, stomachs fluttering, no words were spoken for a long while.

That deep, resonating voice finally broke the silence, “Morning.”

“Morning.”

“We have about an hour and a half before we will both need to leave. You should feed, and then we will shower afterwards. I know Man-E will be able to smell you on me and I would assume so can Beastman.”

Tris only nodded in response. She wasn’t sure exactly what he was thinking when he said she would feed until his claws readily slid up her body. His touch left a trail of sensitized skin behind, the feeling almost indescribable as she shuddered under his gentle ministrations. His mouth moved up, teeth grazing the bare skin of her neck ever so gently and her eyes closed of their own accord.

Buzz-off’s lips pulled at the flesh here and there, playing with the velvety smoothness. Knowing she could easily repair it, the Andreenid ran one sharp claw down the corset slowly, splitting it in half. The material gave a quiet sigh as it fell open revealing her ample chest. He wanted to touch her, by the Elders did he want to. He wanted to smooth the backs of his claws along her sensitive nipples, to squeeze and rub at the mounds of flesh and watch as the female he so desired writhed in pleasure.

He gave a lingering glance at her perfect breasts but moved on without touching. It had been a hard decision to make but he decided to sacrifice all indulgences beyond what she absolutely needed to feed until some questions were answered.

Licking a wet line down the flat stomach in front of him, his tongue dipped underneath the edge of her skirt. He played there for a few moments loving the slight shivers and clenching of the nearby muscles he received in response. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to contain himself if he lingered, Buzz-off pulled her skirt and undergarments down, but moved quickly to kiss down her thighs and then let up to fully remove the clothing. Lastly, he loosened the various buckles on her boots and ran his claws all along the backs of her calves as he pulled them off.

 _Perfection isn’t even good enough,_ he thought surveying the female’s nude form, _and yet, so different from everything I have always been attracted to._ Logically speaking, he knew the reaction was what her species was bred to elicit in others, but he still had trouble believing it. His breathe sucked in sharply as the beautiful female bit at her bottom lip in an open display of anticipation. He emitted a low, buzzing growl involuntarily and watched her shiver with knowing, eyes still closed and head turned to the side.

Calming himself, Buzz-off stripped her gloves, the last garments to go, and then picked up the excited female. She was hot to the touch, her arousal easily detectable on the air, and every part of him was screaming to claim her now, but that was not his intention. Her form molded to the front of his, legs wrapping around his waist, and her eyes finally opened, the desire in them evident. He wanted her, he did, but he needed time, time to think and there were still too many things about her that he did not yet understand.

Buzz-off moved his claw up to cradle her face just for a moment and then he carried her into the bathroom and set her down.

Honestly surprised by his control, Tris had not expected him to stop after undressing her. She had consumed little flicks of energy from his aura but nothing substantial yet, so she was curious where this was leading. “Buzz-off…” but he hushed her before she could get more words out. When the water was at an apparently acceptable temperature, he beckoned her closer and then she followed him in as he stepped under the spray.

Tris was thinking at some point Buzz-off would take her but that never happened. As soon as they were inside, he turned her away from him and slowly spread water along, lavishing her body, exploring it, but never touching her intimately. He repeated the whole process again with soap, each gentle scrape of his deadly claws against her soft, soft skin feeling like beautiful torture, and then all the sensations stopped.

She turned to find him washing himself seemingly lost in thought, eyes staring off into space. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, her hands moved to his body rubbing the soap along just as he had done for her. Those piercing eyes followed her movements but he never moved to touch her again. Expecting him to release his manhood at the stimulation, Tris rubbed the soap lower and slowly sank to her knees in front of him. Being that she didn’t know how it worked, it wasn’t exactly like she could get him to attention without his help. _Perhaps some sort of panel that slides open to allow his erection to extend._

Her eyes drifted to his face and the expression she found there was both cocky and amused; he knew exactly what she wanted. It was both frustrating because she wanted him so much, but she was also kind of turned on by this game he was playing. Anticipation always made things better anyways, right?

When he grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her up, Tris strained forward for a kiss thinking she was finally going to get what she wanted.

Smirking, the Andreenid obliged her, lips meeting gently, but only moments later he pulled back and said, “Feed.” Before she could respond, he kissed her again.

 _I’m so confused_ , she thought not understand why he was asking her to drain his energy instead of having sex with her. Breaking the kiss, she tried to speak, “Buzz-off, I thought—” but he cut her off by lifting her up and crushing their bodies together, mouth viciously attacking hers.

His movements became more dominating, his mouth, teeth, and claws rougher as he kissed her like it was the last thing he would ever do. Yanking her head backwards, he repeated, “Feed,” in a low growl.

Tris couldn’t help her instant and overwhelming arousal at his rough treatment and commanding tone. Their mouths met again, tongues sliding across one another and it was too much for her to resist. She began to feed. She fed and fed, pulling the sweet energy from his strong body and reveling in both his unique taste as well as the power that danced along her nerve fibers as she consumed him.

Tris felt his body weaken just enough, the signal that anymore lost would be detrimental to his performance the rest of the day, and she let him go. He staggered backwards, ending with his back and wings pressed into the wall of the shower as he breathed heavily.

Her eyes blazed and her mind was brimming with power as she considered her still one-time lover. He had tasted great as he always did, but as she came down from her high and arousal beginning to taper off, she felt extremely disappointed and confused that he had withheld sex from her.

When they were both calmer and closer to their normal states, they quickly finished rinsing off and returned to the bedroom to dress. “It’s about time to go.”

“Yes,” she replied quietly noticing how distracted he seemed even with while he stared right at her.

“I will see you again tomorrow night.”

“Why not tonight?” she asked dismayed by the news that he would not be returning tonight.

“I cannot afford to be tired every day and I have things I must attend to in Andreenos. Besides you are less likely to be detected if you are not sneaking out every night.”

Tris knew there was logic in his words but something felt wrong about this entire situation. “Ok,” she replied hesitantly.

“Good. Until tomorrow then.” He gave her another chaste kiss and then walked out.

She waited a little while not sure what to think about the events that had just occurred, but she could ponder the Andreenid’s strange behavior once she returned to Snake Mountain. Tris left the room and headed for the front to see if Zeke was up since she wanted to say goodbye before she departed.

“Good morning,” he greeted from behind the front desk as soon as she came out of the hall.

She gave him a small smile. “Good morning.”

“Hmm, not so much, huh?”

Taking a moment to decipher his statement she asked, “What makes you say that?”

“I saw him walk out earlier looking… contemplative. Now that I see you as well, I confirm my suspicion that something has happened between you two that was unexpected. Hopefully not something unpleasant?”

“Everyone here is so perceptive. Truthfully, I’m trying to figure out myself exactly what happened.”

“Have you two been together long?”

“No. I mean… we’re not together, not really. We had sex once but that turned out to be a bad idea at the time. Now though, I thought things would be different but he… I don’t know.”

“I will venture a guess and say that his queen is not exactly welcoming?”

“No. How did you know?”

“I didn’t really but I assumed since this meeting was obviously a secret. Plus, it is not often that you see couples made up of different species, especially not those that are as different as you two happen to be.” Zeke seemed to think better of his words and added, “I’m not judging or anything, it’s just how it is here. I don’t see anything wrong with it as long as it’s consensual.”

“I don’t know what will happen but we will be here again tomorrow night so—”

“I should say good luck. You’re gonna need it.”

That statement made her laugh and was enough to lift her spirits at the moment. “Yes, thank you. You know, where I come from it is acceptable to be open about your feelings at any given time and you seem to live by that philosophy as well. So here it goes, Zeke… I am very fortunate to have a friend like you. You somehow always know exactly what to say.”

“And I am glad to know you as well. You have enabled me to better my situation and for that I am ever grateful. Not to mention I like seeing you. You’re so frickin’ hot.”

Laughing again, she barely managed to get out, “Alright, now I’m going.”

The next week passed by as a blur. Tris met Buzz-off at the inn every other night and it was always the same story. They wouldn’t speak much; he seemed just content to stare at her until they fell asleep. In the morning, he would undress her and she would feed from his aura and from his lips. They would take a shower and then it was over, back to the rest of the day.

The rest of her day consisted of learning to cook, cleaning Snake Mountain, and most importantly, avoiding Tri-klops. She couldn’t face him at the moment, perhaps not ever, because there would never be an excuse good enough for what she had done to him. She allowed him glimpses as she moved about back and forth passing by his lab often in the performance of her duties, but she made sure to never be in the same room as him.

Unlike her interactions with Tri-klops, which were actually non-existent, she made an effort to spend a lot of time with Mer-man, Evil-lyn, and Trap-jaw. Her social behavior was the best way to remain inconspicuous being that everyone saw her enough during the day that they left her alone at night.

Skeletor and Evil-lyn were getting along really well and all of Snake Mountain was more peaceful for it. Skeletor had renewed his efforts to take over Eternia according to Evil-lyn. No new plans had been formed yet but Tris was sure he would come up with something especially wicked soon enough. She could only hope that it would cause as little harm to the Masters as possible.

The whole situation was conflicting because she knew that Skeletor was ‘the bad guy’ but it didn’t feel that way. Tris had come to care for members on both sides of this war and that made things more complicated. _When I find my stones… I have no idea what I will do._ At first, finding her lost property was the only thing that mattered but then she started to think, _what then?_ _What am I supposed to do after that?_

She cared not about this war but there were reasons to help either side. It was only a delusion to think she could maintain friendships on both sides and remain unaligned _. I would be happy to stay with Buzz-off but my position as his lover is just as precarious as my position here._ Then again, a small part of her recognized that she would forever want Tri-klops. After all, it was in her nature to seek out multiple lovers.

Turning her thoughts away from her emotional state, she decided to focus on the here and now. This included the cleaning of her room and Evil-lyn, who had stopped by for a moment at her request. “Hey, do you think I could get some stuff? Mainly I just need a bed and a mirror. Oh, and I was wondering if you could help me create a separate room with a bathing pool in the back.”

“Yes, because I have nothing better to do than decorate your bedroom.”

Tris simply stared at the other woman with a neutral look although she really was hoping the ‘you owe me’ vibe was getting across.

“Fine, but let’s make this quick.” Evil-lyn lifted her staff and the air became heavier almost instantly. Her eyes glowed with that intense purple light as the rock surface of the far wall and floor began to shift. The rock curled up at the corners into a four-poster style frame and a soft cushioned surface began to spring up from the bottom. Next to the forming bed, the wall also began to shift revealing a large rectangular pane of glass.

It took a matter of seconds for the magic to complete, but the resulting bed the witch had created was only big enough for two full grown adults, which was disappointing; she should have been more specific. It was unadorned thankfully as she would enjoy creating some nice accessories and further decorating it. “Thank you.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s do the bathing pool so I can get out of here.”

Leading her to the appropriate area, Tris showed the other woman the dimensions of the room she wanted and where the bathing pool itself would go. Tris could do all of this herself but two things stopped her: the energy requirements and the others witnessing her powers. Some part of her was still sure it was better to reveal as little as possible for the time being.

“The other bathing pools were already here when we took over the mountain; there needs to be lava running below the area at exactly the right depth or the bath will not heat properly.”

“There is a lava line below; I can feel it,” she said absentmindedly. Evil-lyn’s gaze snapped to her and Tris recognized her error. _Five seconds after I think about how I shouldn’t reveal too much. Oh the irony._ “It needs to go six feet deep and I would like it to be ten feet in diameter. I also want steps going into it on the side facing the door and a ledge on the inside so I can sit down,” she continued trying to distract the other female.

“Well, you don’t ask for much do you? Whatever.” Evil-lyn repeated her previous actions and Tris looked about as the rock parted and altered itself under the woman’s spell. The magic dissipated and the two were left standing in the doorway to the newly formed room, a large empty hole in the middle of the floor. “And how do you expect to fill it?”

“I’ve got a plan.” She didn’t add anything else hoping the sorceress would just leave.

“Well?”

Sighing, Tris once again revealed more than she wished. “I’m going to connect it through the underground water system that supplies the other pools. It will cycle just like a natural hot spring.”

Evil-lyn didn’t depart after that as she had hoped and the witch gave her a condescending smirk. “So if you have that kind of power why did you ask me to do all this work for you?”

Tris stayed silent and Evil-lyn stayed put. _Crap. She wants to see me use my power._ Figuring the witch wasn’t going to leave until she was satisfied, Tris gave up and turned toward the pool. Allowing her magic to flow forth, she felt a gentle wind press outward from her thin frame. Her eyes swirled with color as the magic filled her and she reached outward with it, feeling for the underground stream. Once she had located it, she slowly started to funnel it toward the pool by chiseling away at the surrounding rock and forming a pathway.

It was not a difficult task, just tedious. The tunnel needed to be the right size and far enough away from the lava to carry the heat efficiently and terminate inside the pool at the right temperature. Too hot would not bother her but would preclude others from joining her if she so desired.

Evil-lyn was busy studying the girl’s paltry magic. Expecting much more from the ‘great power,’ the level of magic that filled the room was pitiful. There was a chance that the girl was holding back but that was unlikely. Her statement earlier did peak the other woman’s interests though as being able to ‘feel’ the lava was a strange way to phrase something. _Unless she truly means she can feel it._ _Magically maybe?_

Evil-lyn was also mildly astonished, even though she would never admit it, of the girl’s ability to create the water channel. The magic itself was not difficult, but the fact that she had to create something in an area where she could not see and that it must be done in relation to other objects occupying the same space was impressive.

When the girl was finally done, a small spring slowly but surely filled the pool. The girl’s power gradually receded until once again she was magically dead. _Why does the magic totally leave?_ It was an unusual occurrence and one that she had personally never come across. _I must think about this._

The entertainment and fact-finding mission over, Evil-lyn took her leave deciding to tell Skeletor of what she had just learned. Their lord would want to know of any development regarding their guest, however small, and the sorceress was always in the mood to please her master.

Skeletor watched from the throne as his third-in-command tinkered with some new invention. The swordsmen had turned from openly content to unendingly foul in record time. He was in fact so unpleasant at the moment that the others wouldn’t even be in the same room with him. Not that it was too difficult to avoid him as he had all but locked himself away in that damn lab. The sorcerer had demanded that the other man work in the throne room today as he was going to have a meeting whenever Evil-lyn arrived. _Speak of the devil_.

The woman walked in just then looking as lovely and lethal as ever. She stalked over to the bottom of the throne and gracefully situated herself into a reclined position.

“Where is the girl?”

The witch continued examining her nails as if bored with the question. “Still fixing up her room.”

“Good. We must have a discussion about the little trollop. First off, her work to make Snake Mountain more habitable is going well although the smell still offends me. Tri-klops, I want you to build something to fix that.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. You’re the damn inventor, figure it out you useless buffoon!”

“Right.”

“Now, anything new to report about our guest?” His eyes were still on Tri-klops so the inventor probably took it as a hint to speak first.

“Nothing since our last discussion, Lord Skeletor. I have not spent much time with her lately.”

Skeletor could hear the venom behind the words, good confirmation that they were not sleeping together as he had assumed once the swordsmen’s behavior had changed. Skeletor was led to consider why though as the girl had definitely been interested previously. “Evil-lyn?” he asked moving his gaze to the sorceress.

“I have witnessed a few things of interest about the girl, just today in fact.” Evil-lyn proceeded to tell the story of the day’s events. “I do not believe she even needed my help to do the renovations. I think she didn’t want anyone to see her using magic nor question where everything had come from if she had done it by herself in secret.”

“A skilled magician but you say not very powerful?”

“No, the girl is weak. The only remarkable thing about her magic is how unremarkable it is. I have never met a spellcaster who is so feeble nor one who’s magic leaves completely when not in use.”

“Interesting indeed. Has anyone noticed that the girl’s behavior has changed as of late?”

“What do you mean?”

“Quite the social little worm now and yet does not seem attracted to anyone as she was previously.” His eyes strayed to Tri-klops briefly then he continued, “I have also been keeping an eye on her and she searches Snake Mountain for something, which she conveniently passes off as simple cleaning.”

“You believe the girl knows we have the stones?”

“I believe the girl suspects but has yet to find any evidence of this.”

“Hmm. They are magically concealed so it is quite doubtful that she will ever find them. I don’t think it’s a problem but what do you suggest, my lord?”

“I had a plan set forth that would terminate with me revealing the stones to her quite soon but there has been a minor setback. For now we must keep a closer eye on her. Some of us seem to have gotten much too comfortable with her presence forgetting that she is indeed our prisoner. Dismissed.” Skeletor watched as Tri-klops swiftly retrieved his tools and left while instead, Evil-lyn slunk up the throne steps. She stopped just out of reach, leaning against the warm rock. “Something to add Evil-lyn? Must be good for you to defy my orders.”

“Just wondering about your intentions?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Lord Skeletor, Bringer of Pain and Overlord of Evil, playing matchmaker? Seems a little off to me.”

“Clever though you are, dear Evil-lyn, you miss the bigger picture. There is something special about that girl and whenever it is revealed, I would have her on our side instead of against us. If I must get Tri-klops to fuck her to accomplish that then I will.”

“So your plan is to get them together, hope she is then content to remain here, and reveal the stones to her afterwards. Genius but risky, what if she does not wish to remain here?”

“Then we will persuade her… by any means necessary.”

“I see, and you saw fit to pair her with Tri-klops instead of anyone else.” Whether that was a question or statement he could not decipher.

“He is interested. She seemed interested. No one else is suitable except for me and I am unavailable.” Skeletor waited patiently as Evil-lyn seemed to be evaluating his words. She went to speak and he suddenly pulled her onto his lap stopping her next sentence. “You should not doubt yourself. It is unbecoming.”

Evil-lyn was trying her best to form words but his hands were already roaming her athletic body. “What do y-you… mean?” His hand yanked her head to the side at a sharp angle, his long canines grazing her neck. Without warning he bit down into the exposed flesh causing Evil-lyn to cry out half in pain, half in pleasure.

“You still have reservations about my intentions toward you?” he thought using his magic to amplify and reverberate his voice throughout the empty thrown room. The question itself was laced with accusation and threat.

“No, my—Aahh!” His teeth closed like a vice and blood welled up in the punctures removing the pleasure she had previously felt. “My lord… I d-don’t…” she tried again, but he was not in the mood to entertain her lies. His jaw worked back and forth moving the embedded teeth just enough to cause pain but not shred the flesh.

Finally, the truth escaped her as a low breathy whisper, “Yes.”

Immediately, he halted all movements rewarding her honesty and projected, “Why?”

“She is everything a man could want and more, plus she is subservient and under your command. You have shown a distinct interest and I only managed to barely stop you once.”

“All true but if I wanted subservient I wouldn’t want you, now would I?” Skeletor pulled back completely and his magic flooded the wound, instantly removing the pain and gradually healing the punctures. His mouth returned to the pale skin but this time more gently. Grazing but never bruising, his teeth moved along her neck and shoulders while his claws dragged along her back massaging the smooth flesh.

“As much a-as I would love to outshine… your performance w-with the girrrrl on this throne, I think… we should take this to your quarters.”

“As you wish,” he said with an edge of humor in his voice. Knowing she would be completely unprepared for it, Skeletor stood up and tossed the woman over his shoulder.

“You bastard!” she shouted at him sounding as indignant and outraged as she possibly could being held upside down. “Put me down this instant.”

His hand caressed her ass as he spoke, “I must say you look undignified in this position and I rather like it.” The sorcerer walked down the stairs and out the door cackling while the struggling figure shrieked at him and rained measly blows down his back.

Tris made her way to the town as she had done the previous nights, each time taking a different path and creating a different disguise. _I’m enjoying myself_ , she thought trying to convince herself of that fact. She was, kind of, because their time together was nice, but she desired something else entirely and he frustratingly withheld it from her every time.

 _Besides, I can’t keep this up forever. Eventually I will be discovered and this will be over. I’ll have to speak with him about it soon,_ but she was hesitant. Tris didn’t want to face the obvious outcome, this wasn’t going to work and if she made him realize that by questioning him tonight, would they end whatever this thing between them had become? Before she could come up with any logical answer to that question, her destination was already in sight.

Sighing, Tris breezed through the town and into the inn at a rapid pace. “Hey, Zeke.”

“Hey. He’s already in the room,” replied Zeke, face portraying something that she could not discern.

“Thanks. Have a good night,” she said with a lilt unable to hold the curiosity out of her voice.

“You too,” and he winked trying to play off his earlier mood.

“Well I’m sure as hell going to try.” Without further delay, the girl padded down the hall and slipped inside the room. “Hey,” she said before turning around.

“Hey,” came an almost strained reply.

Tris faced the voice and was bewildered by the sight; Buzz-off looked like someone had tried to kill him. His skin was battered and torn, nasty bruises in all sorts of colors forming almost everywhere she looked. There were cuts littering his body and some deep gashes across his torso. Worst of all, Tris could see that one of his wings was bent near the bottom and the other was a bit crumpled. _Flying must have hurt him greatly._ “Oh, Buzz-off,” and she started toward him.

“I’m fine. It’s not as bad as it looks.” He went around to the other side of the bed to stare out the open window.

Tris noticed he was favoring one leg and leaned against the window sill for support. “Yes, it is, and your beautiful wings. What happened?”

“Some trouble in Veridas today but it doesn’t matter.”

“You shouldn’t have come. Not in such a condition.”

“I didn’t want you to think that something had happened to me when I didn’t show up or worse think I was standing you up.”

Tris couldn’t help her sad laughter. “Buzz-off, standing me up is not worse than you being hurt.” She wanted to embrace him but figured it would hurt so only lightly touched his arm. He seemed to get the idea and listlessly sat on the bed gesturing for her to sit next to him. Tris closed the window and curtains, stared at him for a moment, and then made a decision. Slowly and as gently as possible she straddled his lap.

“Tris, I’m really not in—” but her lips drowned out his words. She kissed him softly, glad that his lips were undamaged, and waited for him to relax. Tris busied him with her lips while she pushed energy into his body and searched around to ascertain the worst of his damage. His wings were her first priority but he also had internal bruising that would take a long time to heal naturally and two cracked ribs. One of the muscles in his left leg was torn but beside that it was not overly damaged.

Feeling along his left wing, she repaired each misalignment one by one. Every fiber had to be straightened and reformed at the damaged site. The crushed flight and sensor cells associated with the fibers had to be restored through removal and rapid re-growth. It was time-consuming and tedious, but after many minutes the wing lay straight and perfect against his back.

Tris turned her attention to the bent wing next. There were broken filaments and a few damaged nerves that had to be reconstructed but it was in better condition than the crumpled wing. The bruising, both internal and external, was easier to repair; she simply had to remove the spilt blood and cause vasoconstriction in the area to reduce the inflammation.

Her reserves were almost gone by the time she finished with them and moved on to his ribs. Luckily they were only cracked and not splintered. The magic enveloped each rib and new bone grew in to replace the old. She turned to the gashes along his stomach and felt with her fingers as the skin sewed itself under her influence until it was perfect again.

Pulling back slowly, Tris felt her drained state immediately but knew that she would be okay until she could feed in the morning per their usual routine. Her face turned upward to his and she found him looking both surprised and impressed.

“You are… incredible.”

Tris smiled happily in her weakened state wishing to stay in the moment forever, but she saw his face wilt around the edges. _I never get what I want._ “Buzz-off, this past week has been great but… I want you, all of you. I want you to do whatever you want to me. I want to feel your mouth upon by lips and your claws upon my body. I want to feel you push inside of me, to fill me up and pound me into the bed. I want to scream your name as you spill yourself inside me. Tell me I can have you.” Tris could feel his aura flare with arousal at her words but his face stayed somber.

“Tris,” the tone saying more than enough. “We need to talk.”

“You know, I have read that that statement always ruins everything.”

Buzz-off smiled sadly. “Maybe, but still…”

“What’s wrong? Why have you agreed to meet me if you don’t want me?”

“I **do** want you.”

“Then why have you not taken me. All of these perfect opportunities and I leave wanting each morning,” she said letting her frustration with that fact clearly fill her voice.

“I have been thinking about us for some time and… there are things I need to know, things I need to understand about you before I am willing to have a relationship.”

Tris looked up at that. _A relationship?_ “You mean—“

“I would tell the Masters and my queen that we are together and accept the consequences. I can only do this if I think the consequences are worth it and to make that decision, like I said, there are some questions I need answered.”

“Ok.” Outwardly she appeared calm and collected but inside there was turmoil, lots of turmoil, and some excitement.

“Ok, you’ll answer my questions?”

“Yes,” she replied with only slight hesitation.

“Ok. First off, what’s in the remaining stones?”

“Um…”

“Don’t lie to me. It would be a shame if you did right after you said you would answer my questions.”

Tris blew out some air and then decided she could let this information go since he already knew so much. “There are four of them. One of them contains, Zryfenrhyze, my dragon. I’d give you a translation for his name, but there isn’t one in your language. Two others each contain one hound, a Tazllolian named Harlequin and a Dh-borne named Twins. Much like the Zahhkse who evolved in coordination with dragons, the Dh and Tazllol evolved alongside a companion species of hounds. Normally, you only have one or the other but I have one of each—”

“Because you are mixed.”

“I assume. The general purpose of a hound is to make the partner more powerful but each hound contributes different abilities based on their partner’s needs. The last stone just contains all of my material possessions.”

“So, you are searching for your stones with such tenacity just to get back your pets and some trinkets?”

“No,” she gritted out between clenched teeth, “I want to find my lost partners; they are a part of me like you could never understand.” Tris was not enthused to find him mocking her about this. “Next?”

He could probably tell everything wasn’t fine but continued on anyway. “From everything I have heard about your needs and what I have witnessed for myself, your energy gets drained quickly and needs to be replenished often. More than one person can supply.” Buzz-off seemed tentative as if he didn’t want to ask the question. “Can… can I support you alone?”

Tris truly wanted to lie to save his feelings but this conversation was important and he needed all of the facts. “Yes and no. My ‘pets’, as you have so kindly labeled them, have abilities to help me conserve energy. I will not need to feed as often nor waste as much to maintain myself if I find them. And you know that I can feed off others when they lust after me, no touching needed.”

“But?”

“But… I will always want others. I can be in a committed relationship with you but I will come across others that I will want to pursue, aggressively sometimes. For this reason and in case of emergency it is generally expected that my mate will choose others for me to be with when needed. If I am allowed outlets then I will not be easily swayed by others and less likely to stray. Also, you may get too drained feeding me all the time and already, trying to live by your society’s rules has **me** feeling drained all the time.”

“So the answer is no then?”

“Well, you could but there are the previously mentioned downsides.”

“So…”

“So basically a few times a month I will need to feed elsewhere. It doesn’t have to be sex. I can get a good feeding if I am allowed to drain someone to the point of exhaustion like I did with Mekaneck. I can feed off blood too although it is not so easy to find willing donors.”

“Tri-klops,” he said softly.

“What?” Tris asked completely caught off guard by the seeming random insertion.

“It would be Tri-klops. If I don’t let you satiate yourself elsewhere, you will stray and it will be with him. We both already know you want him.”

Tris didn’t want to confirm it out loud as if that would make it any less true. “Look, I know how your society works and I would never force you into anything but I am being honest with you. Strict monogamy is not something that is feasible with me. It’s not in my people’s nature to have one partner and I’m already tired all of the time due to lack of feedings. In my time, I would have many others to use as outlets. We were not a jealous type of people and marriage was only to make sure everyone knew you were claimed for breeding purposes. Well, and to share in your partner’s assets. I guess some did it for love.”

“How many?”

“Besides you? Well it depends. If I can take blood and/or have sex with them, fewer than if I can only feed from their aura. Magically inclined beings are better feeds than dead sly to make sure everyone knew you were claimed for breeding purposes. Well and to share in your partners assets.XXXXXXXXXXspecies such as humans. The more powerful the victim, the better the feed, common sense really.”

“Tris, how many?” he asked with more emphasis.

“With sex, I would probably be ok with one or two if they’re human. With aura maybe 5 or 6. I could probably also be ok with a couple of aura donors and only one other for sex.”

“I can’t believe I am having this conversation. Alright, last question. If we agree to be a couple will you leave Snake Mountain?”

“I need to find my stones first and we’ve already established that Skeletor most likely has them even though I haven’t been able to detect anything, but yes, I will leave.”

“Would you join our side? I have seen some of what you are capable of.”

“You said last question already.”

“Tris, answer the damn question.”

“I don’t know. I would help you with anything but some of your enemies are my friends.”

“You know they want to kill us.”

“And you want to kill them, what’s the difference?”

“We don’t want to kill them nor anyone else. That is the difference between us. They would be placed in jail if we could catch them and we would be tortured for information and then killed if they caught us.”

“I honestly do not know and that is the truth. I would hope to remain neutral indefinitely.”

“That would be difficult but might be possible. Fair enough, for now I guess.” Buzz-off studied his newest lover and potential partner. Everything she had said should make him run for the hills but he stayed put. To be with her he would have to risk everything and still she would not belong to him alone. He would have to reveal his relationship to Andreenos and the Masters if he did this; keeping it a secret was not a viable option and would only make everything worse when someone found out. His people could be disgraced, his reputation destroyed beyond repair, and everyone he cared about would be furious with him. Still, it felt so right.

Tris didn’t move; she would not influence him in this decision. Every second felt like an eternity. His body was tense and his aura flicked through many different emotions too fast for her to catch them all. After a while, his left claw moved to caress the side of her face and neck before he drew her in and kissed her. The answer was unmistakable. _But why?_ She had no answer.

This was not the first time this man had caused her such confusion and she doubted it would be the last but right now she was ecstatic.

Leaning into the kiss, Tris pressed him for more. Not wanting to let on how much healing him had drained her, she stole a small amount of energy back lightly enough to go unnoticed. The kiss evolved into a violent thing involving lips, tongues, and teeth. His hands grasped her body, one behind the head and the other on her ass.

Eventually Buzz-off pulled back a bit winded and Tris went to leave his lap. His hand tightened in her hair holding her still. “I will have you like this, riding me while I gaze upon your face and leave my marks upon your body.” He flashed his teeth and his claw dug into her ass with vigor to emphasize his point.

Tris let out a loud keen and jarred their bodies as she latched back onto his mouth with fervor. Her hands were already undoing the corset from behind and he bucked upward while pulling her down to grind their bodies together. One second their world had narrowed down to only the feel of the other’s body and the next, Buzz-off’s mouth was torn from hers with an agonized screech.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said before, I do not intend to abandon this story, it’s just taking me forever to write. I’m having trouble with my muse lately and have allowed many of my stories to linger. Meaning I definitely cannot promise regular updates, but I am trying my best. BTW, this is the last chapter that has been “reworked” from the original published fic. From here on out, all chapters will have completely new content and I have already started the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


End file.
